9781422276785

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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