Rays

Sciencedog is back. Today I'm talking about rays. Yeah, these fish are really similar to sharks because they're both cartilaginous fish. That means they don't have real bones.  Instead they have bones made out of cartilage. That's the stuff our noses and ears are made out of.

They can grow up to 6.5 ft. long and can weigh up to 790 lbs. Their bodies are smooth, unlike sharks that have sandpaper skin. They flap their arms to hover and swim over the ocean floor. They can also hide in the sand so predators can't find them.

Some sting rays and rays use their electric and venomous tails to fight off predators. Their tails are also really sharp and strong and can go through wooden boats.



These guys have to eat so let me tell what they eat. They eat mollusks,crustaceans and sometimes small fish, but most of the time they don't eat small fish because their eyes are on top of their heads and their mouths are at the bottom. They eat their prey by swooping down on them and surrounding them with their tails.

                                                    Like that video? cool right!!!

You have a better idea about how they look and what they do. Now it's time to name my favorite type of ray, the Thorn Back Ray.

This ray can be as much as 3ft. long and can weigh up to 9lbs. He is called the thorn back ray because he has a strong and thick spine.  It eats shrimp, crab, crustaceans and small fish using it's tail and ability to surround fish. It rests in seabeds like mud, gravel or sand.

Before I go I want to compare rays to skates. A lot of people think they're the same thing, but they're different.  Rays have kite shaped bodies and light tails.  Skates have triangular shaped bodies and heavy tails.

Bye and Have a happy Halloween!