09 Stingrays

Stingrays are very diverse fish with flat bodies. They can be found in the tropical and subtropical areas of oceans all over the world. Their typical habitat is warm, shallow water, and they are often hidden on the ocean floor. There are 60 species of stingray — some of which are threatened.

Stingrays can reach 2 metres in length and weigh up to 350 kilograms. They are closely related to sharks, and like sharks they don't have bony skeletons. Their skeletons are made of cartilage — the same material that our nose and ears are made from. Their bodies end in a long tail that contains venom. This venom is very powerful and can be used to kill many different animals, including humans. The venom remains deadly even if it is extracted from a dead stingray.

Stingrays have eyes on top of their head, but they don't use them to find prey. They have electro-sensors, which help them sense electrical charges that are emitted by prey. Their mouths are on the side of their body and when they catch clams, shrimp, or mussels, they crush them with their powerful jaws. They swim by moving their flippers up and down. This motion is quite similar to the action of a bird's wings. They are usually solitary animals, but sometimes swim in groups.

Female stingrays give birth to 2-6 baby stingrays per year. They are born fully developed and look like miniature versions of their parents. They can take care of themselves from the moment of birth. Stingrays live around 15-25 years in the wild.

Word List

venom : strong poison

extracted : taken out of a body

You Practice

I. By the numbers—What do these numbers mean in the reading?

1) 60___________________________________________________

2) 2 metres______________________________________________

3) 350 kilograms_________________________________________

4) 2-6__________________________________________________

5) 15-25 years___________________________________________

II. Answer the following questions.

1) Where are stingrays most commonly found?

2) Why are stingrays dangerous to humans and various other animals?

3) How are stingrays similar to birds?

4) What would you do if you saw a stingray while you were swimming?

5) Why do you think some species of stingrays are threatened?

III. True / False / Not Given—Write T if the sentence is true, F if it is not true, or NG if there is no information about the sentence.

____ 1) Stingrays are usually found in deep water.

____ 2) Baby stingrays have very powerful venom.

____ 3) Stingrays are found all over the world.

____ 4) Stingrays are very bony.

____ 5) Stingrays usually eat humans.