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| Rays |
| There are many types of fish. Fish can have skeletons of bone or cartilage. Rays and sharks have cartilage. Some fish, like the eel are finless. |
There are many rays:
| Most rays are bottom dwellers. However, some like the Manta Ray ( Manta birostris ) live near the ocean surface. Like many sea creatures that live near the surface, Manta Rays like to leap into the air. Manta Rays can have a "wingspan" of up to 20 feet and weigh as much as a ton & a half. (1 ton = 3,000 pounds) ____________________________ |
| Spotted Eagle Ray |
| ( Aetobatus narinari ) |
| (wings up to 8 feet across and can weigh up to 500 pounds) Bottom dwelling rays are armed with one or more spines near the base of the tail. These spines have venom glands which can break off in your body and release venom. Seek medical attention immediately. The spines are barbed and care is required to remove them. Although not considered extremely dangerous, stingray wounds should be treated by medical professionals. Rays that are mid water to surface water rays also have spines, but the spines are closer to the body, and do not penetrate human skin as easily. There are also "Electric Rays" which do not have venomous spines, and the electric shock actually was once used by the ancient Greeks as a kind of anesthetic, the electricity supposedly numbing the pain of operations and childbirth - in fact, the Greek word for these rays is narke, from which we get our word 'narcotic'. ___________________________________________ "Electric Rays" aren't actually true rays. Sting Rays ("true rays") are of the order: Myliobatiformes Skates (which look similar to rays) order: Rajiformes "Electric Rays": Torpediniformes The above orders along with guitarfish and sawfish constitute Batoids. To learn more about these cousins of sharks click on the website directly below. |
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| For more information about the electrical properties of Torpedo Rays, click on the link below: www.scubageek.com/ articles/wwwray.html |
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SM