Stingray Facts
Stingray Facts
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Stingrays are diverse group of fish characterized by flattened bodies. They can be found in oceans in tropical and subtropical areas around the world. Stingrays like warm and shallow water. Most of their time, they will be hidden on the ocean floor. There are 60 different species of stingrays. Some of them are threatened.
| Interesting Stingray Facts: |
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| Largest stingrays can reach 6.5 feet in length and weigh up to 790 pounds. |
| Stingrays are close relatives of shark. Like sharks, they don't have bony skeleton. Their skeleton is made of cartilage, same material that builds our nose and ears. |
| Their flattened body ends with long tail that usually contains spine and venom. Spine can be serrated in some species. |
| They use spine and venom to protect against predators. Stingrays can kill a lot of different animals, including humans. |
| Ancient Greek dentists used stingray's venom as anesthetic. |
| People that live in the areas where stingrays can be found use their spines to make a weapon (daggers). Venom remains deadly even if it is extracted from a dead stingray. |
| Their eyes are located on the top of the head, but they don't use eyes to find prey. Stingrays have electro-sensors which help them detect electrical charges that prey emits. |
| Mouths are located on the bottom side of their body. When they catch clams, shrimps, and mussels, they will crash and eat them using their powerful jaws. |
| Besides mouth, they have gill slides and nostrils on the bottom side of their body. |
| They swim by moving flippers up and down. These movements are similar with movements of the wings in birds and it is sometimes said that stingrays "fly" through the water. |
| They are usually solitary, but they sometimes swim in the groups. Group of stingrays is called "school". |
| Most of their time, they will be hidden on the ocean floor. Shape and color of their body allow them to slip under the sand and become invisible for enemies. |
| Stingrays give birth to 2-6 young stingrays each year. |
| Baby stingrays are born fully developed; they look like miniature versions of adult animals. Babies take care of themselves from the moment of birth. |
| They live 15-25 years in the wild. |
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