Eagle ray
From Free net encyclopedia
Janderk (Talk | contribs)
Lets not add doubtful data. The 8ft is from Reef Fish Identification book
Next diff →
Current revision
{{Taxobox
| color = pink
| name = Eagle rays
| image = spotted_eagle_ray.jpg
| image_width = 200px
| image_caption = Spotted Eagle Ray, Aetobatus narinari
| regnum = Animalia
| phylum = Chordata
| classis = Chondrichthyes
| ordo = Rajiformes
| familia = Myliobatidae
| familia_authority = Bonaparte, 1838
| subdivision_ranks = Genera
| subdivision =
Myliobatis
Rhinoptera
Pteromylaeus
Aetobatus
Aetomylaeus
Manta
Mobula
}}
Eagle rays (the Myliobatidae family of fish) are a family of mostly large rays living in the open sea rather than at the bottom of the sea. They are excellent swimmers and able to jump several metres above the surface. Eagle rays feed on snails, mussels and crustaceans, crushing their shells with extremely hard teeth.
The taxonomy of this group is uncertain; sometimes it is placed in the order Myliobatiformes. Here we follow FishBase and place it in the order Rajiformes with other rays. There are eight genera belonging to the eagle rays: Myliobatis (common eagle rays), Rhinoptera (cownose rays), Pteromylaeus (bull rays), Aetobatus (bonnet rays), Aetomylaeus (smooth tail eagle rays), californica (bat rays), Mobula (devil rays), Manta (manta rays). (In some taxonomies the devil rays and manta rays are placed their own family, Mobulidae.)
Contents |
Common eagle rays (Myliobatis)
The Common Eagle Ray (Myliobatis aquila) is distributed throughout the Eastern Atlantic, including the Mediterranean Sea and the North Sea. Another important species is the Bat ray (Myliobatis californica) in the Pacific Ocean.
These rays can grow extremely large, up to 180 cm including the tail. The tail looks like a whip and may be as long as the remaining body. It is armed with a sting. Eagle rays live close to the coasts in depths of 1 to 30 meter and in exceptional cases they are found as deep as 300 m.
Cownose rays (Rhinoptera)
Cownose rays are named for their ungainly, odd-looking heads. Apart from that they look very much like the above genus. Their whip-like tail is armed with one or more stings. Species include the Javanese Cownose Ray (Rhinoptera javanica) in the Indian Ocean and the western Pacific, the Australian Cownose Ray (Rhinoptera neglecta) around the Australian coasts and a species which inhabits the Chesapeake Bay (Rhinoptera bonasus).
Bull rays (Pteromylaeus)
The Bull Ray (Pteromylaeus bovinus) is also named for the shape of its head. It is a very large ray, often 180 cm and sometimes up to 230 cm in length. This ray can be found along Atlantic coasts between Portugal and South Africa. It is also distributed throughout the Mediterranean Sea. Another species in this genus, the Rough Eagle Ray (Pteromylaeus asperrimus), is just 80 cm in length and lives around the Galapagos islands.
Bonnet rays (Aetobatus)
Image:Spotted eagle ray side view.jpg The Spotted Eagle Ray (Aetobatus narinari) belongs to this genus. It is a very beautiful ray, bearing numerous white spots on its inky blue body. With a span width of 2.5 m (8 ft) and a weight of 230 kg it is by far the largest eagle ray. Including tail it can reach up to 5 m in length. The Spotted Eagle Ray is distributed in the tropical areas of all oceans, including the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico.
Smooth tail eagle rays (Aetomylaeus)
This obscure genus is distributed in the Indian Ocean and the Western Pacific. These rays have their name, because they lack the sting on the tail.
Manta rays (Manta)
The manta rays are the largest members of the ray family, ranging up to 6.7 m (22 ft) from wing tip to wing tip and weighing up to 1,350 kg (3,000 lb). They inhabit the tropical seas of the world and are often observed around coral reefs.