Skates & Rays

Skates and rays are both

cartilaginous fishes that are related to the

sharks.

Skates & Rays

All members have enlarged pectoral fins that are used for swimming

much like birds in flight.

Skates & Rays

Also, all members are

bottom-dwellers and

have their mouths on their

underside or ventral surface.

Skates & RaysSkates, like the local clearnose skate, are fairly

small compared to the stingrays.

Rays are rarely over 2.5 feet

long.

Skates & Rays

Stingrays, on the other hand, can

weigh in the hundreds of

pounds.

Skates & Rays

Stingrays have sharp spines

on their elongate tails,

while skates do not.

Skates & RaysThese spines

are not only poisonous, but

they are covered with

backward pointing barbs, much like a fish

hook.

Skates & Rays

The greatest danger,

however, is from infection if stepped on not

from the poison.

Skates & Rays

Skates tend to have a tail with a small dorsal

fin near the end of its tail,

while the stingray’s tail is long and thin.

Skates & Rays

Both stingrays and skates are bottom feeders where they eat crustaceans, mollusks, and other benthic organisms.

Skates & Rays

Skates lay eggs like this egg case below. These can

often be found along our

ocean and bay beaches.

Skates & Rays

Stingrays usually give birth to

their offspring and do not lay

eggs

Skates & RaysCertain types of

stingrays can often be seen

near the surface with

their two pectoral fins

out of the water.