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Rays

  • SEA LIFE, Victorian Arcade

Be enchanted by our assortment of amazing rays!

Can you guess a rays closest relative?

It's a shark!  

Just like Sharks, Rays don’t have a bony skeleton. Instead, their skeleton is made of cartilage (just like our nose and ears!) this makes them lighter so it is easier for Rays to glide through the ocean.

You can see our undulate rays in our native British Water displays, along with other native species - Thornback rays and spotted rays.

Stingray

Stingrays get their name from the stinging barb at the base of their tail. When they feel threatened Stingrays can whip up their tail to puncture their pursuer with their spiny, venomous barb. Once they have done this it takes a while for a new one to grow back, so they only use it as a last resort!

Blue spotted ray at SEA LIFE Brighton

Undulate Rays

Though they are commonly known as Undulate Rays, Undulates are actually a type of Skate. Rays and Skate are similar but there are a few differences including how they reproduce; Rays give birth to live young whereas Skate lay eggs. Undulate Rays are very well adapted for life on the sea bed; They have flattened bodies so they can easily hide under the sand and their bulbous eyes poke out to spot any tasty prey swimming past.

Undulate Ray
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