Results: Stingrays

Stingrays can be found in oceans throughout the world, with most members preferring warm tropical and subtropical waters. They primarily feed upon invertebrates (mollusks and crustaceans). Some larger rays feed on fish. Most stingrays do not have teeth and can only use their mouths to suck prey in. A few have plates in their jaws which can be used to crush shells when feeding. Have you ever seen a stingray in a natural environment?

The stinger on a ray's tail is only used for defensive purposes. Stingrays are docile creatures by nature and prefer to hide or flee from danger if at all possible. Stings usually only occur if the ray is stepped on or feels cornered. Although they are venomous, stingray stings are usually not life-threatening but can be quite painful and occasionally require surgery if the stinger barb remains embedded in the wound. However, rare instances of rays stinging humans near their vital organs have resulted in fatalities. Have you ever been hurt by a stingray?

While the stingray's eyes peer out from its dorsal side, its mouth, nostrils, and gill slits are situated on its underbelly. Its eyes are therefore not thought by scientists to play a considerable role in hunting. Like its shark relatives, the stingray is outfitted with electrical sensors (ampullae of Lorenzini). Located around the stingray's mouth, these organs sense the natural electrical charges of potential prey. Many rays have jaw teeth to enable them to crush mollusks such as clams, oysters, and mussels. Most stingrays are ovoviviparous, meaning they bear live young in litters of up to 13. In the wild, stingrays can live up to 25 years. The manta ray can measure up to 25 feet across and weigh 2,900lbs. Did you know these facts before this survey?

Stingrays are a group of eight families of rays, defined by their flattened, disc-like bodies and have the appearance of "wings" in some species. Most stingrays also have long tails tipped with venomous stingers. The largest stingray, the manta ray, does not have a stinger on its tail. It is harmless. Ancient Greek dentists used the venom from the stingray's spine as an anesthetic. Do you know of any other animals doctors use to stop pain?