Let s begin by learning a little more about rays, in general. First, an anatomy lesson! Eyes Rays, in general, do not have very good eyesight. What they lack in eyesight, they make up for using electroreceptors, which assist them in sensing vibrations and electric pulses. These electroreceptors are located on the snout of the ray. Rays also have a good sense of smell and touch.
Let s begin by learning a little more about rays, in general. First, an anatomy lesson! Spiracles Just behind the eyes are two openings called the spiracles. These allow the ray to draw oxygenated (oxygen-rich) water from above. That water is then expelled through the gill slits, located on the ray s underside (below). Ray s underside: Gills
Let s begin by learning a little more about rays, in general. First, an anatomy lesson! Pectoral fins/wings The fins on either side of a fish are known as the pectoral fins (think of your pectoral muscles). On rays, they are also commonly called wings. Pectoral fins make it possible for the ray to swim. They also use their pectoral fins to disperse sand and find buried prey. This is the portion of the rays bodies that we recommend guests to touch.
Let s begin by learning a little more about rays, in general. First, an anatomy lesson! Spine Rays are vertebrates, meaning they have a backbone. However, rays and sharks do not have bony skeletons; instead, theirs are made from cartilage. Interpretation tip: When referencing cartilage, use examples of cartilage on our bodies, such as our ears and nose!
Let s begin by learning a little more about rays, in general. First, an anatomy lesson! Pelvic fin These two lobes or fins help the ray to anchor and bury themselves. If the ray is male, you may notice two projections coming from the underside of the pelvic fins. These are the male reproductive organs, known as claspers. This is the main way to differentiate between male and female sharks and rays.
Let s begin by learning a little more about rays, in general. First, an anatomy lesson! Barb The sting in stingray. The barb of all rays is use for defensive purposes only. It is serrated and continually growing. While all the barbs at CMA are clipped (intepretation: like a fingernail), it is important to remind guests of how to act towards wild rays, emphasize the stingray shuffle, and make sure guests do not touch the rays tails (no one likes getting their tail pulled!).
Let s begin by learning a little more about rays, in general. First, an anatomy lesson! Mouth Stingrays mouths are located underneath. Inside their mouths are 7 series of flat teeth located on their dental plate (bottom picture).
Now that we have the basic body parts of the rays covered, let s learn some general facts about CMA s Stingray Beach star, the cownose ray. Let s start at the beginning of a cownose ray s life.
Rays, as well as some species of shark, are ovoviviparous. Ovoviviparous means producing eggs that are hatched within the body, so that the young are born alive, but without placental attachment. Rays typically begin reproducing at around 7 years of age. This picture displays the inside of a female shark, carrying her eggs a prime example of ovoviviparity
When born, cownose rays are a little over 1 foot across. Typically, a mature ray will grow to be between 2 and 3 feet across (from wing tip to wing tip). The largest cownose ray on record was 7 feet across!
The diet of the cownose ray consists mainly of snails and clams, as well as other small bottom-dwelling fishes and crabs. At the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, our rays are fed capelin and krill (a small crustacean). The main predators of cownose rays include sharks, such as the bull and sandbar sharks, and large predatory bony fishes, such as cobia.
Cownose rays are pelagic, meaning they are mainly swimming rays, not burying rays. For this reason, cownose rays are not responsible for many stings. Cownose rays migrate hundreds of miles each year, probably due to changing seasons. They are sometimes mistaken for sharks when they raise their wings above the water s surface as they swim.
Occasionally, other types of rays will frequent Stingray Beach. They include the Southern Stingray and the Atlantic Stingray. Atlantics are distinguishable by their pointy snout, just like the top of the letter A
Guests may also ask about different rays of the Gulf of Mexico. Cownose, Southern, and Atlantic rays are all common. Some other Gulf species include Spotted Eagle Rays and Butterfly Rays, shown below Spotted eagle rays are known to leap into the air, much like a dolphin or porpoise!
Teaching guests about the Stingray Shuffle is a good way to eliminate many stingray-related fears. The Stingray Shuffle is a method of dragging your feet while walking through the water. This prevents you from stepping directly on a ray, sends warning vibrations to animals buried in the sand, and is a super cool dance move for show off to guests. This is a great one to have young children practice with you; you re teaching them and encouraging them to be safe while visiting our area!
One last thing the beach of Stingray Beach On the Stingray Beach itself is a depiction of a hatching nest and a nesting Loggerhead sea turtle. These displays are meant to educate the public regarding our local nesting turtles. There is a large video screen playing a movie on repeat about sea turtles that fully explains the nesting process, but here are the highlights.
One last thing the beach of Stingray Beach Loggerhead sea turtles are the most common turtles on our beaches Each year, we get around 100 nests in Pinellas County alone Nests are marked and sometimes caged (depending on the ambient light) After 60 days, hatchlings emerge in one large group (normally 80-120) Major beach predators of sea turtle hatchlings include fire ants, birds, crabs, raccoons, dogs, and cats. People can help protect our hatchlings by turning off their lights at night if they live on the beach and cleaning up after themselves at the beaches they visit.
Frequently Asked Questions: Stingray Beach 1. Do the stingrays have barbs? No, CMA removes the barbs from the rays regularly. The barbs are similar to our fingernail and do grow back. 2. What do you do if you are stung by a stingray? Soak the affected area in as warm of water as you can stand. The absolute best thing to do is seek medical attention. Fragments of the barb, or the whole thing, may have broken off in the affected area and can cause an infection. Because the barbs are serrated, you need to have it removed by a professional. NEVER pull the barb out yourself! 3. How do you avoid being stung by a stingray? Do the Stingray Shuffle shuffle your feet while walking in water instead of picking them up and taking large steps 4. Is that turtle real? No, but the adult turtle on the beach is modeled after an old CMA Loggerhead sea turtle resident, Bonnie!
Frequently Asked Questions: Stingray Beach 5. What happened to Steve Irwin (yes, you really will get this question at some point)? Fatal stingray stings are very rare. Unfortunately, the Crocodile Hunter was hit by the barb in the chest, which caused an alarming loss of blood. In general, stingrays are incredibly docile and most stings happen when people accidentally step on and trap the ray. 6. What is the largest type of ray? The largest ray is the Atlantic Manta Ray, growing up to 22 feet across. 7. Which ray stings people the most? The most common type of sting in our area is normally the result of stepping on an Atlantic ray. They bury themselves in warm, shallow, sandy water, similar to our local beaches and have excellent camouflage. 8. What is the difference between a ray and a skate? Rays and skates are very similar both are flat, cartilaginous fish. The skate s tail however is normally stockier and lacks a spine.