9781422276785

T h e A m a z i n g Wo r l d o f S h a r k s

RAYS

T h e A m a z i n g Wo r l d o f S h a r k s

BLUE SHARKS BULL SHARKS

DEEPWATER SHARKS FRESHWATER SHARKS GREAT WHITE SHARKS HAMMERHEAD SHARKS MAKO SHARKS RAYS THRESHER SHARKS TIGER SHARKS

T h e A m a z i n g Wo r l d o f S h a r k s

RAYS

By Elizabeth Roseborough

MASON CREST

Mason Crest 450 Parkway Drive, Suite D Broomall, Pennsylvania 19008 (866) MCP-BOOK (toll-free) www.masoncrest.com

Copyright © 2019 by Mason Crest, an imprint of National Highlights, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission from the publisher. First printing 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Printed in the USA ISBN (hardback) 978-1-4222-4129-5 ISBN (series) 978-1-4222-4121-9 ISBN (ebook) 978-1-4222-7678-5 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Names: Roseborough, Elizabeth, author. Title: Rays / Elizabeth Roseborough. Description: Broomall, Pennsylvania: Mason Crest, [2019] | Series: The amazing world of sharks | Includes bibliographical references and index. Identifiers: LCCN 2018013892 (print) | LCCN 2018018839 (ebook) | ISBN 9781422276785 (eBook) | ISBN 9781422241295 (hardback) | ISBN 9781422241219 (series) Subjects: LCSH: Rays--Juvenile literature. Classification: LCC QL638.8 (ebook) | LCC QL638.8 .R67 2019 (print) | DDC 597.3/5--dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018013892 Developed and Produced by National Highlights Inc. Editors: Keri De Deo and Mika Jin Interior and cover design: Priceless Digital Media Production: Michelle Luke QR CODES AND LINKS TO THIRD-PARTY CONTENT You may gain access to certain third-party content (“Third-Party Sites”) by scanning and using the QR Codes that appear in this publication (the “QR Codes”). We do not operate or control in any respect any information, products, or services on such Third-Party Sites linked to by us via the QR Codes included in this publication, and we assume no responsibility for any materials you may access using the QR Codes. Your use of the QR Codes may be subject to terms, limitations, or restrictions set forth in the applicable terms of use or otherwise established by the owners of the Third-Party Sites. Our linking to such Third-Party Sites via the QR Codes does not imply an endorsement or sponsorship of such Third-Party Sites or the information, products, or services offered on or through the Third-Party Sites, nor does it imply an endorsement or sponsorship of this publication by the owners of such Third-Party Sites.

CONTENTS

FUN FACTS

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CHAPTER 1 – INTRODUCING RAYS

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CHAPTER 2 – THE RAY’S HABITAT AND POPULATION

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CHAPTER 3 – THE RAY’S DIET, BEHAVIOR, AND BIOLOGY

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CHAPTER 4 – ENCOUNTERING A RAY

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SERIES GLOSSARY OF KEY TERMS

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INDEX

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FURTHER READING & INTERNET RESOURCES

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AT A GLANCE

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PHOTO CREDITS, EDUCATIONAL VIDEO LINKS, AUTHOR BIO

KEY ICONS TO LOOK FOR:

Words to Understand: These words with their easy-to-understand definitions will increase the reader’s understanding of the text while building vocabulary skills.

Sidebars: This boxed material within the main text allows readers to build knowledge, gain insights, explore possibilities, and broaden their perspectives by weaving together additional information to provide realistic and holistic perspectives. Educational Videos: Readers can view videos by scanning our QR codes, providing them with additional educational content to supplement the text. Examples include news coverage, moments in history, speeches, iconic sports moments, and much more!

Text-Dependent Questions: These questions send the reader back to the text for more careful attention to the evidence presented there.

Research Projects: Readers are pointed toward areas of further inquiry connected to each chapter. Suggestions are provided for projects that encourage deeper research and analysis. Series Glossary of Key Terms: This back-of-the book glossary contains terminology used throughout this series. Words found here increase the reader’s ability to read and comprehend higher-level books and articles in this field.

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WORDS TO UNDERSTAND:

: A mixture of fresh water and salt water, typically found

in estuaries and bays.

Firm, whitish, rubbery connective tissue that makes up much of the bodies of sharks and rays. This tissue takes the place of bones. The top side of an organism. A group of rays of the same species that travel, eat, and live together. The underside of an organism.

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1 CHAPTER

INTRODUCING RAYS Swimming along like square pancakes with long, pointy tails, rays are some of the strangest-looking creatures in the ocean. There are many different animals in the ray family, including stingrays, manta rays, eagle rays, electric rays, skates, and sawfish. Within these groups, there are actually over six-hundred different species that are considered to be rays. Closely related to sharks, rays consist of cartilage instead of bone. This is just one of the many things that rays have in common with their sharp- toothed cousins.

Rays are fairly easy to identify, but did you know there are over 600 species of rays? These are eagle rays.

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Many rays are the flat, diamond shape we picture when we think of rays swimming along, but one of the animals—the sawfish—is quite different from stingrays and skates. Rays inhabit many areas of the ocean, including cool and warm water. Some animals in the ray family prefer shallow coastal waters, while others like to swim in deep water, near the ocean floor. A few types of rays are able to live in brackish and fresh water, but most make their homes in the salty ocean. Some rays have the potential to harm humans, but most are harmless creatures. Even rays that have the ability to harm usually only do so if they feel they are about to be hurt. Rays range from large to small, and they come in all sorts of colors and patterns. Let’s learn about some of the most common types of rays. STINGRAY There are many different types of stingrays. Let’s take a look at three of them—the short-tailed stingray (also known as the smooth stingray and the bull ray), the southern stingray, and the blue-spotted stingray. While these animals all look quite different, they all possess the ability to harm their prey (or their predators) with their long, pointy tails that are covered in poisonous barbs.

Short-tailed stingrays have two stingers.

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The short-tailed stingray is found in waters off the coasts of New Zealand, Mozambique, South Africa, and Australia. The short-tailed stingray ranges from blue-gray to gray-brown in color. These rays often have two stingers, one in the front and one in the back, making it easier for them than most other animals in the ray family to hunt and defend themselves, as most rays have only one stinger or no stinger at all. The southern stingray is found in warm subtropical and tropical waters in the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean Sea, and the Atlantic Ocean. When most people picture a stingray, they picture the southern stingray, with a long, barbed tail. The southern stingray is grayish-brown on its dorsal side and white on its ventral side. Unlike the short-tailed stingray, the southern stingray only has one stinger.

This is a southern stingray found in the Caribbean Sea.

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The blue-spotted stingray (also known as the bluespotted ribbontail ray) is found in the Indian Ocean, specifically off the coasts of Africa, Japan, and Australia. Blue-spotted stingrays are known for making their homes in coral reefs. Its bright blue spots make it instantly recognizable to snorkelers and divers. An encounter with the blue-spotted stingray is

Blue-spotted stingrays do not live long in captivity. They can only be found in the Indian Ocean.

a popular photo shoot opportunity for all humans who enter into its habitat. Many people have attempted to keep the blue-spotted stingray as a pet in private aquariums, due to its interesting appearance, but these animals are not capable of surviving for a long time in captivity. They often die quickly when removed from their natural habitat.

STEVE IRWIN’S STINGRAY ATTACK In 2006, stingrays were all over the news for a very sad reason. A popular wildlife expert, conservation enthusiast, and television host, Steve Irwin, was killed during a stingray dive. He was attacked by a

stingray off the coast of northeastern Australia. The stingray repeatedly stabbed Irwin in the chest with its stinger, creating hundreds of puncture wounds in mere seconds. This kind of attack had never been recorded before. Death from a stingray attack is extremely rare. Usually when stingrays attack, they cause harm, but the harm is not severe enough to cause permanent damage. Irwin died not due to the poison in the stingray’s tail barbs, but because the stingray’s tail actually pierced his heart. Irwin’s family continues to study wildlife and promote its conservation. SIDEBAR

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MANTA RAY Rays are a variety of sizes. The manta ray can range from 18 to 23 ft. (5.5 to 7 m) across and can weigh up to 3,000 lbs. (1,361 kg)! Manta rays are completely harmless to humans, as they mainly feed on plankton and are unable to sting. These gentle giants are often featured in the “pet the animals” section of aquariums. Manta rays are quick to swim up to children and rub themselves against their little hands. These friendly creatures are also known for interacting with scuba divers in the open ocean.

See what it’s like to swim with a manta ray!

EAGLE RAY Eagle rays spend most of their time swimming in the open ocean, as opposed to stingrays, who prefer to spend their time swimming near the ocean floor. Eagle rays have a longer tail than stingrays, and their bodies are especially wide—their sides take on a wing-like appearance as they swim through the water. The spotted eagle ray is regarded as one of the most beautiful creatures in the ocean. They are known for their indigo-colored bodies and white spots, and they are sometimes seen jumping out of and skating across the ocean’s surface. Eagle rays tend to travel in large fevers .

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ARE RAYS A TYPE OF SHARK? While rays are similar to sharks in many ways, they are actually cousins of the ferocious predators. Rays and sharks both belong to the scientific class called Chondrichthyes, which means cartilage fish. Both sharks and rays have paired fins, jaws, and nostrils. Most rays are not nearly as dangerous as their fierce cousins. SIDEBAR Eagle rays are typically spotted and have a longer tail than sting rays. ELECTRIC RAYS While electric rays do not have stinging tails, they are just as dangerous as stingrays. Electric rays have a pair of organs that sit halfway between their pectoral fins and their heads. These organs are able to send out a powerful electrical current, both for hunting and for self-defense. When this current hits its target, the target is either stunned or killed.

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There are sixty-nine different types of electric rays. Their electric charge is used to scare away potential predators as much as it’s used to hunt for prey. Electric rays are not only able to send out electricity— they’re excellent at detecting electrical currents as well. Many marine biologists believe that electric rays have a very high level of electrosensitivity.

This is just one type of electric ray.

Electric rays are found throughout the ocean, from thousands of feet deep to shallow coastal waters. It’s rare that an electric ray will sting a human (unless they feel threatened), as they typically eat small fish.

RAY MYTH: ALL RAYS CAN STING While the stingray has a poisonous stinger, this is not the case for all rays! There are over six-hundred different types of rays, and the stingray is the only group that is able to sting and poison its prey.

Many other rays have tails that they use for swimming, but only the stingray uses its tail strictly for self-defense. The stingray’s tail is usually only dangerous to humans if the stingray is stepped on. When pressure is applied to the top of a stingray’s body (such as pressure from a human’s foot), a reflex occurs in the body of the stingray and the tail is pushed upward and forward into the victim, causing harm. While a stingray sting can hurt badly, it’s rare that these stings are fatal. People who live in areas where stingrays are common recommend doing the “stingray shuffle,” that is, dragging your feet when walking through the water—this will push stingrays out of the way so you do not step on them and risk getting hurt! SIDEBAR

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