Stingrays
One of the most common members of the ray family, Stingrays live in most of the world's oceans. Flying gracefully through the water on their 'wings' (pectoral fins) stingrays are graceful and elegant as they can reach up to two meters in width. Many different colorations can be found with stingrays, including deep brown and black, in Pacific species, and blue spotted patterns on stingrays in the Pacific and Indian Oceans.
Encounters:
Stingrays are frequently encountered in shallow water where they rest between feeding, or, in flat sandy areas in deeper water, where they lie in wait of prey. Because of their stingers, which are located at the base of their tail, stingrays should be approached cautiously, and should never be handled.
In March of each year, the Poor Knights Islands of New Zealand are host to hundreds of breeding stingrays, who crowd the distinctive archways, characteristic of these islands.
There are two 'Stingray Citys', one in Antigua, and another in the Cayman Islands, where divers can interact with these creatures in shallow clear water. Sandbar, also in the Cayman Islands, is also a popular place to meet Southern Stingrays.
Scientific Name:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Chondrichthyes
Order: Rajiformes
Family: Dasyatidae
Diet:
shrimps, small fish, crabs, and crustaceans
Basic Facts:
Stingrays are viviparous, and bear live young;
Stingrays that inhabited the Pacific Ocean millions of years ago adapted to fresh water as the Andes mountains formed, creating a new species of freshwater sting ray that still inhabits the Amazon River today, only now they live on the Atlantic side;
Getting stung by a stingray on legs and feet is not fatal, but is extremely painful; though in the case of Crocodile Hunter, Steve Irwin, a stingray barb in the chest can be deadly, as the venom goes straight to the heart.
Stingrays serve as food in many Pacific Islander and Asian countries;
Stingray skin is often tanned like leather.
Research and Conservation Projects:
Guy Harvey Research Institute http://www.nova.edu/ocean/ghri/stingrayresearch.html
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission http://research.myfwc.com/dg.lts/id.34694/publications.publication_info.htm