Scat information. Interesting data and facts about stingrays

Among cartilaginous fish the most dangerous is stingray. So called eagle rays- one of the largest and, perhaps, the most dangerous families marine poisonous fish.

The body of stingrays is flattened, like that of a flounder, since these fish also lead a bottom-dwelling lifestyle. On the sides they have greatly expanded pectoral fins, which have turned into wide, wing-like formations. Merging with the sides of the head and body, they help fish when swimming. The mouth and gill slits open on the underside of the body, and the eyes are located on the top.

Stingrays, as bottom animals, lead a sedentary lifestyle, mostly lie on the bottom, feed mainly on mollusks, crunching their shells with their teeth. More often than others you can find radiant stingray, spiny stingray and some others. Their body, together with its fins, is shaped like a diamond on top. At relatively great depths in tropical seas live electric stingrays, the body of which has a rounded shape, as well as sawfish, whose body shape resembles a shark and reaches several meters in length. The habitat of stingrays is extensive. Stingrays can live in the cold waters of the Arctic and Antarctic, and in warm waters tropical seas, often almost close to the shore.

Inhabitant of the Indian and Pacific seas - blue-spotted stingray (extremely toxic)

There is evidence that only on the coasts North America The average number of victims of stingrays is 750 people per year. Very often, people are injured by stingrays in the western part of the Pacific Ocean, for example, off the coast of China, Korea, Japan and in the south of the Primorsky Territory of Russia, where the dangerous red stingray. Catfish also widespread in northeastern waters Atlantic Ocean, in the Mediterranean, Black and Seas of Azov. The most dangerous injuries occur in the chest and abdomen area. Of those injured, about 1% die.

Some species of stingrays, e.g. river stingrays, prefer shallow waters - no deeper than 1 m. They inhabit sheltered bays, shallow lagoons, sandy areas between reefs and even river mouths. Everywhere in these spaces it is quite easy to encounter them. Stingrays are not always visible because they burrow into the sand so that only their eyes, poisonous rod and part of the tail are visible. On the tail of many stingrays there are one to two jagged poisonous spines, the length of which depends on the type of stingray and its size.

For example, stingray Dasyatis hastata reaches a diameter of 2 m with the same tail length. At the base of the tail there is a jagged spine almost 40 cm long. On top of this animal there is grey colour, and blue underneath, which allows it to camouflage itself quite successfully in water. The stingray lives in coastal grass, where it catches crayfish and mollusks.

“And just imagine,” writes F. Talyzin, “what happens if you jump out of the boat and step on a stingray! He will immediately strike with his spike, forming laceration, into which he will inject poison from the glands of the skin!

Rarely found in Mexican waters, the electric stingray is as large as the stingray. His electrical organs are located on the sides of his body between his head and pectoral fins. The current voltage can reach 220 V, with a power of 8 A. Such a discharge can kill not only a person, but also a large animal. Also known from stingrays rhombic stingray, which lives in waters from British Columbia to Central Africa. European stingray more often called a sea cat. It prefers the waters of the northeastern part of the Atlantic Ocean, often found in the Mediterranean Sea, Indian Ocean. This is one of the most common types of stingrays.

Offspring of the sea cat (European stingray, Dasyatis pastinaca) - real death with a smile - although, of course, funny faces are nothing more than a pattern on the underside of the body, characteristic of the species as a whole

Found in California waters and south to Mexico butterfly ray, and a very beautiful looking stingray - spotted bracken lives in the tropical part of the Red Sea, the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans. Quite numerous and California stingray, preferring Californian waters. Among freshwater stingrays we can distinguish South American, living in the rivers of Paraguay and Brazil. This stingray is very dangerous; there are many known cases of people being injured by the poison of this animal. And finally, among the numerous stingrays are also round stingray, which, unlike others, has a rounded body shape and a shorter tail. It lives in the waters of California and south to the Gulf of Panama.

The spotted eagle ray is a beautiful stingray belonging to the bracken family - one of the most dangerous and numerous

Preferring shallow water, stingrays can also be found near beaches, posing a threat to swimmers. Without noticing the animal buried in the sand, a person can come close to the stingray. Unlike many other fish, the stingray does not swim away from a person approaching it, being well protected by nature. The person who steps on it receives swipe in the leg with a thorn from a sharp movement of the tail. Stingrays, more often than other poisonous fish, are the cause of accidents, since they are very numerous, well hidden in their favorite places and have a strong weapon of defense.

A person who is injured immediately feels severe pain. The pain from being hit by the tail is especially severe. freshwater stingrays. The victim may experience a sharp drop in blood pressure, vomiting, and stomach upset. There is an increase in heart rate, and paralysis may develop. At severe poisoning a person may die.

The jagged stingray spine along its entire length is attached to the skin in the middle part of the tail. Sometimes there are specimens that have three spines on the tail. Scientists believe that the spine is retained by the stingray throughout its life, since there is no evidence that the old spine is replaced with a new one every year.

Some Indian tribes use the jagged spines of freshwater stingrays native to the Amazon as naturally occurring arrowheads.

The spine consists of a substance similar to bone tissue. Several grooves run along its surface. A deep groove also runs from its lower surface along each side of the edge. It contains soft grayish tissue, which produces a poisonous secretion.

Stingray venom is primarily a protein, which can be divided into ten different fractions or parts. At least five of them are poisonous.

The stingray fish is the oldest inhabitant of the aquatic depths. Stingrays are mysterious creatures. They, together with their closest relatives, are the most ancient residents of the depths of the waters.

These creatures have so many interesting features, which is how they differ from other representatives of the fauna floating in the water. Scientists suggest that in prehistoric times the distant ancestors of stingrays differed little in structure, but the myriads of years that have passed have made these animals in no way similar, and the individuals of both species themselves have undergone significant changes.

Modern cramp-fish(on photo this is clearly noticeable in the animal) is characterized by an extremely flat body and a head, intricately fused with the pectoral fins, which gives this creature a fantastic appearance.

The color of the animal largely depends on its habitat: sea waters and fresh water bodies. In these creatures, the color of the upper body area can be light, for example, sandy, multi-colored, with a fancy ornament, or dark. It is this coloring that helps the stingray successfully camouflage itself from observers from above, giving it the opportunity to merge with the surrounding space.

The lower parts of these flat creatures are usually lighter than the upper parts. On to the specified party The animal contains organs such as the mouth and nostrils, as well as gills in the number of five pairs. The tail of such water inhabitants has a whip-shaped shape.

Stingrays are a very large group of aquatic animals that have nothing to do with mammals. Scat– is it a fish or more precisely, a creature belonging to the category of elasmobranch cartilaginous fish.

In size, these inhabitants of the depths also differ significantly from each other. There are individuals only a few centimeters long. Others are meter, and in some cases more (up to 7 meters) in size.

The body of stingrays is so flat and long, resembling a pancake rolled out with a rolling pin, that the edges on the sides of the creatures look like wings, representing pectoral fins. In some cases, their scope reaches two meters or more.

An example of this is the stingray, which is a member of the bracken family, the body length of which reaches up to five, and the span of its peculiar wings is up to two and a half meters. Scat – cartilaginous fish. This means that its insides are not built from bones, like those of sharks and other animals, but from cartilage.

The coloring of the stingray gives it the ability to camouflage itself on the seabed

The habitats of stingrays are as vast as their diversity. Such animals can be found in water depths throughout the entire planet, even in the Arctic and Antarctic. But with the same success they settle down tropical waters.

The depth of the reservoirs that serve as shelter for animals similarly varies greatly. Stingray fish lives and is able to successfully take root in shallow water, but also perfectly adapts to exist at a depth of 2700 m.

Character and lifestyle of stingray fish

Amazing properties various species of stingrays boggles the mind. For example, on the coasts of Australia you can observe “flying stingrays”. There are also electric fish stingrays.

In the photo there are “flying” stingrays

And such strength, given to them by nature, turns out to be an excellent weapon in the fight for survival. Such creatures are capable of paralyzing the victim using their own electricity, which is produced by all stingrays, but it is this type produces it in quantities up to 220 volts.

Such a discharge, which is especially strong in water, is quite sufficient to paralyze certain parts of the human body, and even lead to fatal outcome. The most interesting of species stingray fish – nautical devil. This is an animal of enormous size, weighing more than two tons.

Sailors created the most incredible legends about such creatures, the reasons for which were the unexpected appearance of such monstrous in size marine stingray fish from the abyss before the eyes of stunned travelers.

They jumped headlong out of the water and then disappeared into the depths, flashing their pointed tail, which often caused panic. However, the fears were groundless, and such creatures are completely harmless and even peaceful in nature.

In the photo there is a stingray "sea devil"

And cases of attacks on people for for a long time was not recorded. Quite the contrary, people often ate their nutritious and tasty meat, which is still a component and integral part many dishes, as well as a wide variety of exotic recipes.

But the process of hunting for a sea devil can turn into a dangerous activity, because the size of the animal allows it to overturn a boat with fishermen. The main part of the life of stingray fish passes at the bottom of reservoirs. These animals even rest by burying themselves in mud or sand. That is why respiratory system These animals are different from other fish.

They do not breathe through gills, but air enters their body through devices called squirters, which are located on its back. These organs are equipped with a special valve that helps protect the stingray’s body from foreign particles that enter from the bottom of the reservoir. All unnecessary debris, particles of sand and dirt are removed from the spray bottle released by the ramp using a stream of water.

Stingrays also move in a curious way, not using their tail at all when swimming. They flap their fins like butterflies, and their peculiar body shape helps the animals practically float in the water, which is why they are excellent swimmers.

Stingray nutrition

Cramp-fish- a predatory creature. Its main food is fish: salmon, sardines, mullet or capelin. Larger species may be tempted by such prey, as can crabs. Small varieties are content with plankton, as well as small fish.

The diversity of stingrays and their amazing capabilities also manifest themselves in obtaining food. To hunt for your victims different kinds These fantastic creatures use the weapons that nature has provided them with.

An electric stingray, having overtaken its prey, hugs it with its fins and stuns it with an electric discharge, awaiting its death. And the weapon of the spiny-tailed stingray is its tail, studded with spines, which it thrusts into the enemy. When eating mollusks and crustaceans, it uses special protruding plates that replace teeth for this creature, grinding its prey with them.

Reproduction and lifespan of stingray fish

Some species of stingrays are viviparous, while others lay eggs in capsules. There are also varieties that perform their reproductive function in an intermediate manner, being ovoviviparous.

When carrying cubs, the mother’s body nourishes the embryos with peculiar outgrowths that penetrate the oral cavity. A female sea devil is capable of giving birth to only one cub, but its size is very impressive, and its weight is about 10 kg. But a female electric ray, which gives birth to live cubs, is capable of increasing the genus of rays sometimes by 14 individuals.

Newborns are only 2 cm in size, but from the very first minute of their existence they are capable of producing electricity. The lifespan of stingrays most often depends on size. Small species live on average from 7 to 10 years. The larger ones live longer, from about 10 to 18 years.

Some varieties: the electric stingray, as well as a number of others, for example, living in the Cayman Islands, where the most favorable conditions exist for such representatives of the fauna. favorable conditions, live their lives for about a quarter of a century.

The electric stingray is a marine cartilaginous fish, distinctive feature which is the presence of paired electrical organs. The order of electric stingrays consists of 4 families and more than 60 species.

Electric ramp - characteristics and description

The body of the electric stingray is disc-shaped with a slight extension in the form of a tail, there is a caudal fin and one or two upper fins. The body size of the stingray can reach 50 centimeters. However, there are also large representatives maximum length whose body reaches 1.2 meters and weighs approximately 100 kg. Sea fish The stingray can have different colors: from the simplest, discreet color to bright and colorful designs and patterns. The eyes of the electric stingray are located on top, so anatomical structure causes rather poor vision in this species of fish. On the sides of the disc-shaped body are kidney-shaped organs that produce electricity, they are located between the head and pectoral fins. Electric organs of stingrays Designed for self-defense and catching prey purposes. With their help, the stingray releases bundle-shaped electric ranks power from 6 to 220 volts. Thus, the fish strikes prey or an enemy and attacks him.

Where do stingrays live?

The habitats of stingrays are quite different. The electric stingray lives on reefs, clay bays, and sandy beach areas. Sometimes the stingray can live in the depths of the seas and oceans; the maximum diving depth of the stingray is approximately 1000 meters. This fish can only be found in the waters of temperate and tropical climate zones.

From birth, baby stingrays carry electric charge. An adult female electric stingray can give birth to 8-14 babies.

The body length of a newborn stingray is negligible and is approximately 2 centimeters.

Sea fish stingray In addition to his electrical ability, he has another undeniable talent. These fish are excellent swimmers, due to their body shape adapted for this. Rounded fins allow stingrays to seem to float in aquatic environment, without spending much effort on covering long distances. This helps stingrays in the process of searching for food for themselves and their newborn babies.

What does the electric stingray eat and how does it hunt?

The electric stingray feeds mainly on fish and carrion. Smaller representatives of stingrays prey on small sea plankton in the form of small fish, crabs, and octopuses. Larger species feed on fish. For example, mullet, salmon. When hunting, the electric stingray catches up with its prey and hugs it with its fins. A series of electrical discharges are released onto the victim, as a result of which he dies.

Stingrays (lat. Batoidea) are one of two superorders of elasmobranch cartilaginous fish. Contains five orders and fifteen families. Stingrays are characterized by a very “flattened” body and large pectoral fins fused to the head. The mouth, nostrils and five pairs of gills are on the flat and usually light-colored underside. The tail is whip-shaped. Most stingrays live in sea ​​water, however, there are also several freshwater species(motoro, etc.) The upper side of stingrays is adapted in color to a particular living space and can vary from light sand to black. On the upper side there are eyes and openings into which water enters for breathing - squirts (the first pair of gill slits). Stingrays inhabit all seas and oceans and live both in the cold waters of the Arctic and Antarctic, as well as in the tropics; their habitat temperature range ranges from 1.5 to 30 °C. These fish are found both in shallow water and at depths of up to 2700 m. Most species of stingrays lead a bottom-dwelling lifestyle and feed on mollusks, crayfish and echinoderms. Pelagic species feed on plankton and small fish. The sizes of stingrays range from a few centimeters to 6-7 m in length. One of the most known species the ray is the manta ray ( Manta birostris). Stingrays from the eagle family reach large sizes, whose fin span can reach 2.5 meters and length - up to five meters; as well as stingrays from the stingray family, reaching 2.1 meters in width and up to 5.5 meters in length. Relatively large stingray catfish found in the Black and Azov Seas. A special “weapon” is endowed with a squad of electric stingrays, whose representatives, with the help of a special organ made from transformed muscles, can paralyze prey with electrical discharges from 60 to 230 volts and over 30 amperes. Reproduction Stingrays reproduce by laying enclosed eggs on the bottom or by viviparity. In electric rays and stingrays, special villi, or trophotenia, additionally develop in the uterus, supplying the embryo nutrients. Human interaction Stingray wings are a delicacy in Portuguese cuisine. In Korea, stingrays are eaten in the form of hwe (raw): a dish with them is called “hon'ohwe chumuchim” (Kor. ??? ???), this is a “regional specialization” of the South Korean province of Jeollado. Stingray leather is durable and has an unusual texture; it is used in the leather industry for the manufacture of wallets, belts, bags, briefcases, etc. Handles Japanese swords Katanas were covered with stingray skin. Some species of stingrays pose a danger to people. The electric current generated by electric stingrays is enough to stun a person, and stingrays can inflict painful wounds. All species of sawfish rays are endangered or on the verge of extinction. Stingrays are a superorder of elasmobranch cartilaginous fishes, which includes 5 orders and 15 families. Stingrays are characterized by pectoral fins fused to the head and a rather flat body. Stingrays mainly live in the seas. Several freshwater species are also known to science. The color of the upper part of their body depends on where exactly the stingrays live. The latter can be either black or very light. Stingrays are related to sharks. Moreover, the closest relatives. External similarities, of course, is not observed. In terms of their internal composition, stingrays, like sharks, consist not of bones, but of cartilage. In ancient times, stingrays were similar to sharks not only internal structure, but also external features. However, time has changed them beyond recognition. Stingrays are different from each other. Firstly, in size. Nature knows stingrays measuring only a few centimeters and stingrays whose size reaches 7 meters. Secondly, different stingrays also behave differently. Some stingrays do not mind, for example, jumping above the surface of the water, while most of these fish prefer to spend their time buried in the sand. Electric Stingray - scary fish. Much more terrible in its essence than, for example, the sea devil. The fact is that the cells of the electric stingray (it is also called ordinary or marbled) can generate electricity up to 220V (of course, the name of this stingray came from this). And how many divers have been exposed to electric current from these stingrays! It is worth noting the fact that all stingrays are capable of generating electricity, but not to the same extent as the electric stingray. The electric stingray has been known for a long time. Its dimensions can be determined as follows: approximately one and a half meters long and a meter wide. Weighs from twenty-five to thirty kilograms. Top part The body is covered with whitish and brown veins, and therefore the shades may vary. The female electric ray will give birth to live babies. From eight to fourteen cubs can be born at one time. Previously, it was believed that if the cubs were in any danger, the female would take them into her mouth. The cubs remain there until the danger is eliminated. But at present these data have not been confirmed. Electric rays are lazy creatures. They are very slow by nature. However, marble stingrays have a special power, which lies in the fact that the stingray can make any fish motionless just by touching it. Thanks to this unique ability The stingray does not need to move quickly - having buried itself in the sand, it simply waits for prey. Fish swimming near motionless electric rays quickly become sleepy and lethargic. In the immediate vicinity of a marble stingray, a fish may even die. Fishermen know about this unique ability of the stingray, the force of which reaches the hands through the net and forces them to release the nets. The venom of a living stingray can penetrate the human body even if he touches it with a stick. A dead stingray is completely safe.

The stingray is the oldest cartilaginous sea bird fish with paired electrical organs. There are 4 families of electric stingrays, which are divided into 60 species.

Lifestyle

Stingrays live in both salt water and fresh water. Depending on the species, they can live both in cold water bodies and in warmer ones. Some species live only in one place, while others migrate frequently.

Tropical latitudes boast small stingrays that grow to only 15cm. The largest representative of stingrays is Sea Devil(Manta), which grows up to 7 meters wide, and can weigh up to 3.5 tons.

A representative of medium size is the Cook's Stingray, which grows up to 5 meters in width.

Appearance

The main difference from other fish is the flattened body structure of the stingray with massive pectoral fins. The tail is not a fin because it is not developed. The skeleton is not hardened and is cartilaginous.

The color of the stingray depends on the water and the depth in which it lives; it can be either light or dark.

Stingrays have well-developed vision and electrical receptors (lateral line). Due to electrical impulses, the stingray senses nearby swimming fish and their heartbeat.

Nutrition

Large stingrays feed on flounder, cod, haddock, sardines, eels and capelin.

Stingrays are not large sizes They eat shellfish, worms, crabs and octopuses.

The exception is the large Manta ray, which allows large volumes of water to pass through its gills. Thus, it filters out small fish and plankton.

Stingrays hunt for their prey. Sometimes it paralyzes fish with electrical impulses, which can be fatal for small fish.

Reproduction

The appearance of offspring depends on the type of stingray. Some species are viviparous, while others lay eggs. In the case of birth from eggs, the female lays one egg per week, which can develop from 4 to 12 months, depending on the species.

Both viviparous and born from eggs, stingrays are full-fledged, adapted to underwater life, only small in size. From the first minutes of life, stingrays can produce electricity. On average, small stingrays live 7-10 years, large ones live from 10 to 18 years.

• The sawfish is a species of stingray.
• In some countries, stingrays are eaten raw.
• The Japanese covered the handles of katanas with stingray skin.
• The manta ray makes periodic jumps from the water, which is similar to flying over water.
• Manta rays, although large in size, are harmless and often swim side by side with divers.

Option 2

One of the most mysterious creatures on the planet is the stingray fish. Together with sharks, they are ancient residents of deep waters. Their uniqueness is that while swimming, the fish moves only using its fins, without the help of a tail, reminiscent of the flight of a butterfly.

The habitat of the stingray is the seas and oceans. Some species live in fresh water bodies. Basically, fish prefer to live at the bottom of reservoirs, the depth of which can reach up to 2700 meters.

The stingray has a flattened body shape and a narrow a long tail. On the sides there are kidney-shaped organs that generate electricity, intended for catching food or self-defense. The electrical discharge power is about 220 volts. The fish has poor eyesight.

The color of the stingray depends on environment habitat may be either black or light sand. Some individuals have simple patterns on the upper body. The abdomen always has a light shade.

The animal's diet mainly consists of fish or carrion. Small representatives feed on sea plankton, and large ones feed on salmon, mullet, and capelin.

IN mating season, gathers around the female a large number of males. They, as if enchanted, swim around the female and try to synchronously repeat her movements. The fastest winner gets the right to copulate.

Stingrays reproduce in two ways - viviparous or egg-laying. A viviparous individual carries one baby for about a year, which is born up to 10 kilograms and up to 1 meter long. After birth, the baby becomes independent, as the female loses all interest in him.

Oviparous rays lay capsuled eggs, the number of which does not exceed 10 pieces. When the fry emerges from the egg, it begins an independent life and feeds on plankton.

For humans, the stingray represents mortal danger. With its thorn, the fish can inflict a lacerated wound that is incompatible with life. An electric shock can lead to cardiac arrest.

Life expectancy depends on the size of the fish. The larger the stingray, the greater the likelihood of survival. On average, the duration ranges from 7 to 25 years.

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