Types of stingrays and their lifestyle

Stingray fish is an ancient inhabitant of the water depths. These mysterious creatures, along with sharks (their closest relatives) are the oldest inhabitants of the sea kingdom. Stingrays have a lot of interesting features, which, in fact, differ from other representatives of the fauna living in the water.

Scientists came to the conclusion that back in the past, the ancestors of sharks and rays were not much different in body structure. But still, millions of years have made these animals unlike each other.

Scat: what species does it belong to

Stingrays belong to the superorder of plate-gill cartilaginous fish, which accrue five orders and fifteen families. Modern stingray fish (this is clearly visible in the animal’s photo) is characterized by an incredibly flat body and head, fused with pectoral fins, which gives this creature an interesting and possibly fantastic look. The color of this animal depends mainly on its habitat:

• sea ​​water;

• fresh water.

Stingray body structure

The color of the upper part of the body of the rays can be light (sandy), multi-colored (with an interesting ornament), as well as dark. Thanks to this color, they can be easily masked, merging with the surrounding space and becoming almost invisible to other animals. As for the lower body of these creatures, as a rule, it is light, almost white. On the inner side of the slope are organs, jaws and nostrils, gills (five pairs). The tail of the marine inhabitants has a thread-like shape.

Types of stingrays vary greatly in both size and behavior. The size of this type of animal ranges from a couple of centimeters to several meters. The wingspan can reach more than two meters (for example, stingrays from the brackish family). Electric ramps have their own important feature in the form of weapons. They paralyze the victim with the help of electric discharges, which produce all kinds of slopes, but in the amount of 220 volts only electric. This discharge is enough to not only paralyze some parts of the human body, but also to lead to death.

Detachments

Most species of stingrays lead a benthic lifestyle and feed on shellfish, crayfish. Pelagic species consume plankton and small fish. Let's see which units the scientists distinguish:

• electric;

• sawmill;

• stingrays;

• caudate-shaped.

Different types of stingrays can be found in various places of our globe. They are found in Antarctica and in the Arctic Ocean. If you want to see the flying ramp with your own eyes, then go to the coast of Australia, there are more than enough of them. The most diverse types of stingrays, photos of which are presented in this article, fully reveal the whole history of their existence and modern life.

Unique respiratory system

Underwater carpets are stingrays. The species of these animals are unique in nature, because they have a different respiratory system than other fish that breathe gills. Air passes into the body of the stingrays through special sprays located on the back. These devices are protected by a special valve. If it happens that a foreign thing gets into them, the ramp leaves it by releasing a stream of water from the spray gun.

By movement, stingrays resemble butterflies. They do not use their tail for movement, as other fish do. They move with the help of fins.

Distinctive features

All slopes differ, firstly, in size. In nature, fish are known only a couple of centimeters long, and stingrays, whose size reaches seven meters. In addition, the behavior of each species is completely different. Some of them do not mind jumping over the surface of the water, while others prefer to dig into the sand and relax quietly.

Stingray fish is a predatory animal, the main marine food is the following marine inhabitants:

• salmon;

• sardines;

• capelin;

• octopuses;

• crabs.

Stingrays are so diverse that even in hunting everyone uses different weapons - something that nature has awarded him. Electric, catching up with prey, wraps its fins around and beats with electric shock, waiting for her death. A spiny-tail kills the victim with the help of his tail, studded with tweaks, which he sticks into the enemy. To eat mollusks and crustaceans, they resort to the help of protruding plates that replace their teeth, and they grind their food with them. As for reproduction, some of the species are viviparous, while others lay eggs in special natural capsules.

Stingrays: species

1. Orlyakovye - from the family of large fish, lead a pelagic lifestyle. These large creatures swim freely in the open sea and in tropical regions. Brackets move with the help of wavy flaps of their wings - fins. Manti and mobules filter plankton from water.

2. Stingrays have sharp spikes over the entire surface of the body. The tail of these fish gives off a poisonous secret, which can cause them a fatal blow. Poison that penetrates the wound can cause tachycardia, vomiting, sharp pain and low blood pressure, paralysis.

3. Guitar resemble the appearance of sharks, but they have gills, which relates them to the rays. They use the tail precisely for movement, which reminds sharks. They feed on small fish and shellfish. They rush at the victims from above, press them to the ground and then eat them.

4. Gniusovye - a family of electric ramps, there are about 40 species. They are inactive, swim very slowly, as a rule, lie at the bottom, buried in the sand. If the prey swam close, one electric discharge is enough to stun it, and then eat it. They use electric discharges for defense.

5. Daffodils - slow bottom fish, produce no more than 37 volts. They live in temperate latitudes, like closed sandy bays near coral reefs, estuaries.

6. Sawfish include seven species of sawfish. In general appearance they resemble sharks, live in tropical places. They feed on schooling fish. When they break into a flock of sardines, they beat the fish with a saw, like a saber, and after that they pick up prey from the bottom. There is no danger to humans.

Characteristic and uniqueness

How many species of stingrays exist on Earth? In total, there are about 600 of them, but most of them live in salt water: seas and oceans.

Consider those who live in freshwater:

1. The sea devil is an animal of large size, in weight it reaches a couple of tons. It was he who encouraged sailors to compose the most incredible and terrible legends. Imagine for a second how a creature weighing 2 tons flies out of the water, and after a moment it goes back to the depths. Despite the fact that it is the largest slope in size, it does not have electric power, and there are also no thorns and teeth. And the elongated tail is also not armed with anything. Despite its name, he is good-natured and does not touch people at all.

2. The electric ramp is also called marble. Dangerous and terrible fish, whose cells generate electricity of 220 volts. This species of fish has been known for a very long time, its size is 1.5 meters in length and 1 meter in width. It weighs from 25-30 kg, the upper part of the body is decorated with white and brown veins, thanks to which its shades can change. A female electric stingray can give birth to up to 14 babies at a time. If they are in danger, she temporarily hides them in her mouth until the threat passes. These fish have an incredible feature that can make any fish stationary.

3. The prickly-tailed ramp got its name from its tail. His fish sticks into the next victim, and after perfect pulls back. The ramp releases its weapons only when it hears danger. The diet includes clams, crustaceans, which he calmly grinds not with his teeth, but with platinum.