Stingray features of the structure of the habitat lifestyle. Stingray stingray (Sea cat)

In tropical seas and temperate latitudes you can meet representatives stingrays . These are almost regular diamond-shaped or oval-shaped fish.
Basic data:
DIMENSIONS
Width: depending on the type from C cm to 4.4 m.
Length: up to 4.3 m.
Weight: from 750 g to 340 kg.
BREEDING
Puberty: age unknown.
Spawning: usually in spring.
The development period is from 4 months to a year.
Number of fry: 2-9.
LIFESTYLE
Habits: loners; are mostly found at the bottom of the sea.
Food: shellfish, crustaceans, fish.

Related SPECIES
About 80 species of stingrays are known, ranging in size from 1.5 to 2.5 m. The species - river stingray - lives in fresh water.
Distinguish about 80 various kinds stingrays 4.4 m long. hallmark- a long tail in the form of a whip and a needle with a poisonous secret, which is capable of causing painful and very serious damage.
BREEDING
O stingray breeding little is known. It is precisely established that in summer months the female brings from 2 to 9 fry. They develop in an egg attached to the walls of the oviducts.
The young also hatch in the body of the female. In the mother's body, the fry first feed on the substances contained in the egg yolk, and when they grow up, on the protein-rich liquid (something like milk) secreted by the walls of the uterus.
LIFESTYLE
Stingrays are often found in shallow water. They usually lie on a sandy or muddy bottom, partially or completely buried in the ground, while only the eyes, nose and tail are visible. The pectoral fins frame the entire front of the body. If the stingray is frightened by something, it quickly passes with the help of huge wings - pectoral fins. In European waters, stingrays are found only in summer. Some biologists suggest that they go to deeper waters in winter. Other researchers believe that stingrays simply burrow deeper into the sand for the winter.
FOOD
Stingrays feed on marine worms, crustaceans and other invertebrates. Large individuals eat dead fish and cephalopods.
The stingray's mouth is located on the underside of the head. It has several rows of blunt and wide teeth in its mouth. They serve to gnaw the shells of mollusks. Since the stingray has a camouflage coloration, it is almost invisible during the hunt and is quite well protected from enemies.
Stingrays AND MAN
The consumption of stingray meat is not widespread. Sometimes the needle of a caught stingray is used as a weapon - it can become the tip of a spear. Fish oil is obtained from the liver of stingrays.
However, the stingray is dangerous - it can kill a person. Most often this happens when swimmers step on a fish buried in the sand. Serrated needles can inflict serious wounds on the enemy. Stingray venom is very toxic, it causes spasmodic pain, muscle paralysis, and sometimes leads to death of the victim.

TYPES of stingrays
Catfish- the most numerous of European stingrays. This animal can be found in the Atlantic Ocean, near the British Isles and Spain, as well as in the Mediterranean Sea.
The fish themselves are sensitive to changes in water temperature. At a temperature of +6 ° C ... +7 ° C, she still survives, but at a lower temperature she already dies. In the seas of the North and South America, from New Jersey to Brazil, the American stingray is found. There are species of stingrays that can live in fresh water, for example, in the mouths of American rivers.
The coloration of stingrays varies depending on the habitat. In some stingrays, the back is dark brown, in others it is dark gray. The lower part of the body - the chest - may be white or light cream.
OR DO YOU KNOW THAT...
The Indians of Central America make spearheads, daggers and needles from stingray needles, and drums are covered with leather.
The stingray needle inspires fear in fishermen. If a stingray gets into their net, they cut off its tail and only then the crippled animal is released back into the sea. Such a fate befell many large stingrays.
The fishermen of southern England believe that the oil obtained from the liver of stingrays can easily cure pneumonia, and also protects a person from this serious disease.
Off the coast of Mexico stingrays - stingrays groups of hundreds of individuals gather in small sea depressions, called "paradise".
NEEDLE stingray
The poisonous stingray needle is located on a long, pointed tail. When the stingray is enraged, it strikes with its tail and sets the needle into a state of readiness for action. This is very strong weapon, which can paralyze a swimmer, inflict severe bodily harm or even kill him.
Tail needle length happens different. In some stingrays, it reaches 42 cm. This terrible needle has a groove with a poisonous secret.
LIVING PLACE
Lives in all seas of the world, in tropical and temperate zone, off the coast mediterranean sea. In the north, it can even be found on the Southern Scandinavian coast.
PRESERVATION
stingray not threatened with extinction, despite the fact that their food is mainly mollusks, which are very sensitive to habitat pollution.

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Stingrays belong to the genus of cartilaginous fish, they are quite dangerous. They can harm a person and sometimes even kill him. They are very widespread, and inhabit almost all seas and oceans, where the water temperature is not lower than 1.5 ° C. stingrays live both in shallow water and at depths up to 2.5 km.

Stingrays of this species have a flat body. The fused pectoral fins, together with the sides of the body and the head, form an oval or diamond-shaped disc. A powerful thickened tail departs from it, at the end of which there is a poisonous spike.

It is large, and grows up to 35 cm in length. The grooves on it are connected to the glands that produce poison. After the attack, the spike itself remains in the body of the victim, and a new one grows in its place.

The stingray is able to “grow” several of them throughout its life. Interestingly, the local natives knew about this ability of stingrays, and used these spikes instead of tips in the manufacture of spears and arrows. And even specially bred these.

The eyes of stingrays are at the top of the body, behind them are spiracles. These are holes in the gills. Therefore, they can breathe, even completely buried in the sand. long time.

Still on the body sea stingrays there are nostrils, a mouth and 10 gill slits. The bottom of the mouth is covered with many fleshy processes, and their teeth look like thick plates arranged in rows. They are able to open even the strongest shells.

Like everyone else, they have sensors that respond to electric fields. This helps to find and identify the victim during the hunt. The skin of stingrays is very pleasant to the touch: smooth, slightly velvety. Therefore, it was used to make drums by local tribes. Its color is dark, sometimes there is an unexpressed pattern, and the belly, on the contrary, is light.

Pictured is a sea stingray

Among these stingrays there are lovers of fresh waters - river stingers . They can only be found in the waters of South America. Their body is covered with scales and reaches a length of 1.5 meters. Their color is brown or gray, with small spots or specks.

Pictured is a river stingray

Distinctive feature blue stingray is not only its smooth purple body. But also a way to move in the water column. If other stingrays of this species move the edges of the disk in waves, then this one flaps its “wings” like a bird.

Pictured is a blue stingray

One of the types stingrays(sea cat) can be found in Black Sea. In length, it rarely grows up to 70 cm. The slope is brown-gray with a white belly. It is quite difficult to see him, he is shy and stays away from crowded beaches. Despite the danger, many divers dream of meeting him.

Pictured stingray sea cat

The nature and lifestyle of stingray fish

Stingrays live in shallow water, burrowing into the sand during the day, sometimes a crevice in a rock or a depression under stones can become a place to rest. They can be dangerous to humans.

Of course, they will not attack on purpose. But if they are accidentally disturbed or attacked, they will begin to defend themselves. The stingray begins to make sharp and strong lunges and pierces the enemy with a spike.

If it enters the region of the heart, then almost instantaneous death occurs. The tail muscles are so strong that the spike can easily pierce not only the human body, but also the bottom of a wooden boat.

When poison enters the body, it causes severe and burning pain at the site of injury. It will gradually subside over several days. The victim before the arrival of the ambulance needs to suck out the poison from the wound and rinse it with plenty of sea water. Poison like stingray, possesses and marine the Dragon, which is also found in the waters of the Black Sea.

In order not to become an accidental victim of this stingray, you need to make a loud noise and wave your legs when entering the water. This will scare away the hunter, and he will try to swim away immediately. You also need to be careful when carving the stingray carcass. Its poison has long been a danger to humans.

Despite all this, stingrays are very curious and obedient. They can be tamed and even hand-fed. In the Cayman Islands, there is a place for tourists-divers where you can safely swim next to stingrays, in the company of professional divers and even make unique a photo.

Though stingrays tend to be solitary by nature, they often congregate in groups of over 100 near the coasts of Mexico. And they are located in shallow sea depressions, which are called "paradise".

In European waters, these rays can only be seen in summer. When the water temperature drops, they swim away into more warm places for "wintering", and some species simply dig deep into the sand.

stingray fish food

The stingray uses its tail only during self-defense, and it does not take any part in the hunt for prey. To catch the prey stingray slowly floats near the bottom and slightly raises the sand in wave-like movements. So he "digs out" his food. Thanks to its camouflage coloration, it is almost invisible during the hunt and is reliably protected from its enemies.

Stingrays eat marine, crustaceans and other invertebrates. Larger specimens may eat both dead fish and cephalopods. With their rows of blunt teeth, they easily gnaw through any shells.

Reproduction and lifespan of stingray fish

The lifespan of a stingray depends on the species. The record holder is Californian individuals: females live up to 28 years. On average, this figure fluctuates around 10 in nature, in captivity five years longer.

stingrays heterosexual and they are characterized by internal fertilization, like all cartilaginous fish. Pair selection occurs by means of pheromones that the female releases into the water.

On this trail, the male finds her. Sometimes several of them sail at once, then the one who turns out to be faster than their competitors wins. During mating itself, the male is located on top of the female, and, biting her by the edge of the disc, begins to introduce the pterygopodia (reproductive organ) into her cloaca.

Pregnancy lasts about 210 days, there can be from 2 to 10 fry in the litter. While in the womb, they develop by feeding on yolk and protein-rich fluid. It is produced by special outgrowths located on the walls of the uterus.

They attach themselves to the spatters of the embryos, and thus the nutrient fluid is delivered immediately to their digestive tract. After maturation, small stingrays are born rolled up into a tube and, falling into the water, immediately begin to straighten their discs.

In the photo, the eyed stingray

Males reach puberty by 4 years, and females by 6. The offspring of stingrays bring 1 time per year. Its time depends on the habitat of the stingrays, but always occurs during the warm season.

stingrays not in danger of extinction. They are not caught commercially. Stingrays are eaten and liver fat is used to treat various diseases, including pneumonia.

Family Stingrays or Stingrays (Dasyatidae)

In stingrays, the pectoral fins merge with each other in front of the head. The tail part of the body is well separated from the body. The disc is very wide, the tail is usually thin and pointed; as a rule, it is much longer than the disk, but in some species it is shortened and thickened. The skin of stingrays is smooth, the spines on it are never numerous.

Stingrays got their name due to the fact that the upper surface of the tail is armed with one or more long dagger-shaped needles. The needles are flattened laterally, covered at the edges with coarse serrations and very sharp at the end. The length of the needle in large rays can reach 33-37 cm. Such a needle is attached with its base directly to the skin in the middle part of the tail and lies on its surface back with a tip. A groove runs along its lower surface, at the bottom of which cells are located that secrete a poisonous secret.

The tail needle of the stingray is a terrible weapon used for defense. The main enemies of stingrays - large sharks - often wear fragments of such needles on their heads, indicating past fights. By itself, the tail needle is motionless, but, bending the tail with a whip-like movement, the stingray can inflict very powerful blows with it. At big fish the force of the blow is such that the needle easily pierces leather shoes or several layers of clothing and penetrates deep into the body of a person who accidentally disturbed a stingray lying somewhere near the beach. The poison penetrating into a stab wound is very toxic and causes sharp spasmodic pain. At the same time, blood pressure drops, a strong heartbeat occurs, vomiting begins, and muscle paralysis is sometimes observed. There are cases when injections of tropical stingrays led to death.

The stingray family includes four genera, which include about 35 species. Their size varies greatly: in small species, the width of the disk does not exceed 60 cm, while in large species it reaches 2.3-2.5 m or more. Stingrays are found mainly in the shallow waters of tropical and subtropical seas, and only a few species inhabit moderately warm waters. Some of them enter fresh water bodies and even live permanently in them. Usually stingrays lie on a sandy or muddy bottom, partially burrowing into the ground and becoming almost invisible from the outside. If necessary, they swim, however, quite quickly, while waving their pectoral fins. There are also pelagic species in this group that live in the water column far from the coast.

Stingrays are ovoviviparous, but the cubs developing in the womb, in addition to nutrition from the yolk of the egg, also receive a special liquid rich in proteins (something like milk). This fluid is secreted by special outgrowths located on the walls of the uterus. Bundles of such outgrowths penetrate the spatters of the embryos, and the nutrient fluid enters directly into the digestive tract.

In our waters, stingrays are found in the Black Sea and off the coast of Primorye. In Black and Seas of Azov meets stingray catfish(Dasyatis pastipasa), widespread off the coast of Western and North Africa and Europe (up to the North Sea).

This is a rather heat-loving fish that appears off our coasts only in summer time and leaving them again in the fall. The sea cat is one of the rather large stingrays and can reach 2.5 m in length. Its usual dimensions are much smaller - no more than 1 m in length, average weight is 6-10 kg, but sometimes there are individuals weighing up to 20 kg. The birth of juveniles in our waters occurs in June or July, when the female gives birth to 4 to 12 cubs. The sea cat stays near the bottom and often burrows into the ground. Its food consists of small fish, crustaceans and other bottom animals.

The sea cat has some commercial value and are sometimes caught in large numbers. During the spring migration of this species to the Sea of Azov in the Kerch Strait, in some cases, up to 10,000 individuals were caught per seine spot. The liver of this stingray contains up to 63% fat rich in vitamin D.

Among Far Eastern species this family can be noted giant stingray(Urolophoides giganteus), which has a thick short tail and is occasionally found in Peter the Great Bay. The body length of this stingray reaches 2.3 m. The smaller red stingray (Dasyatis akajei), not exceeding 1 m in length, is quite common in the waters of South Primorye. Its meat is quite edible and is eaten in Japan, Korea and China.

Animal life: in 6 volumes. - M.: Enlightenment. Edited by professors N.A. Gladkov, A.V. Mikheev. 1970 .

See what the "Family Stingrays or Stingrays (Dasyatidae)" is in other dictionaries:

FAMILY TAILBOATS- (DASYATIDAE) In stingrays, the disc is very wide, and the tail is usually thin and pointed. They got their name because the upper surface of their tail is armed with one or more long dagger-shaped needles. These needles are flattened with... ... Fish of Russia. Directory

Stingray (sea cat)

I saw the photo and immediately wanted to know what kind of “humanoid” creatures they were :-) And it turns out to be children of a sea cat!

Sea cat (Stingray, European stingray, Stingray stingray) - Dasyatis pastinaca - a rather thermophilic fish belonging to the class Cartilaginous fish, order Stingrays (Dasyatiformes), family Stingrays (stingrays, stinging rays) (Dasyatididae).

Stingrays are known by the name of the sea cat. The name "sea cat" most likely received the stingray for appearance- a stem resembling a tail and habits: like cute domestic cats, the stingray has a predilection for night hunting in shallow water. In a calm state, the stingray burrows into the sand, leaving a protruding stalk on the surface, the stalk trembles (like a cat's) attracting curious victims ....

The fur cat has a diamond-shaped or rounded body disk. The tail is long, filiform, armed with a long serrated spike; individuals with two spikes are also found. The dorsal and caudal fins of this species are absent. The body is naked, without spines and spinules. The upper side of the disk is gray or olive-brown, the lower side is white, often with a brown border around the edge. Usually the stingray reaches 1-2 m in length, but sometimes there are individuals up to 2.5 m long, females are larger than males.

The sea cat lives in the waters Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Europe and Africa, often kept in large flocks, several thousand individuals each. We find it all over Black Sea coast enters the Sea of Azov. The sea cat is a heat-loving bottom fish; it appears off our shores only in the summer, leaving them again in the fall. Usually the sea cat stays at the bottom, often half buried in the ground, and seems to be a shapeless motionless mass. However, periods of rest are replaced by unexpected rapid "ups". Having risen from the bottom, the stingray “floats” or “flies”, flapping its fins like wings, and stirring up sand and silt to make it easier to swallow crustaceans and mollusks living at the bottom.

The main food of the sea cat is small fish, crustaceans and other bottom animals.

All stingrays are ovoviviparous, but in addition to nutrition due to the yolk of the egg, the cubs that develop in the womb also receive a special nutritious liquid rich in proteins - something like milk.

This liquid is secreted by special outgrowths located on the walls of the “womb”. Bundles of such outgrowths penetrate into small holes located behind the eyes - sprinklers - of the embryos, and the nutrient fluid enters directly into their digestive tract. In our waters, juveniles are born in June or July. Each female gives birth to 4 to 12 cubs. Despite the presence of spikes, this process occurs painlessly for the female due to the fact that in her womb the flat-bodied embryos are rolled into a tube resembling a cigar in shape. As soon as the cub leaves the mother's body, it turns around and swims away.

The commercial value of this stingray is small, although it is sometimes caught in significant numbers. Sea cat liver contains up to 63 % fat rich in vitamin D. Wounds inflicted by a thorn of this species are extremely painful.

In the waters of Southern Primorye, another species is quite common - the red stingray. (Dasyatis akajei) not exceeding 1 m in length. giant stingray(Urolophoides giganteus), reaching a length of 2.3 m, is extremely rare here stingray matsubara(Dasyatis matsubarai).

The consumption of stingray meat is not widespread. Sometimes the needle of a caught stingray is used as a weapon - it can become the tip of a spear. Fish oil is obtained from the liver of stingrays.

However, the stingray is dangerous - it can kill a person. Most often this happens when swimmers step on a fish buried in the sand. Serrated needles can inflict serious wounds on the enemy. Stingray venom is very toxic, it causes spasmodic pain, muscle paralysis, and sometimes leads to death of the victim.

Catfish- the most numerous of European stingrays. This animal can be found in the Atlantic Ocean, near the British Isles and Spain, as well as in the Mediterranean Sea.

The fish themselves are sensitive to changes in water temperature. At a temperature of +6 ° C ... +7 ° C, she still survives, but at a lower temperature she already dies. In the seas of North and South America, from New Jersey to Brazil, the American stingray is found. There are species of stingrays that can live in fresh water, for example, in the mouths of American rivers.

The coloration of stingrays varies depending on the habitat. In some stingrays, the back is dark brown, in others it is dark gray. The lower part of the body - the chest - can be white or light cream.

The Indians of Central America make spearheads, daggers and needles from stingray needles, and drums are covered with leather. According to ancient Greek mythology, Odysseus was killed with such an arrow.

In West Africa and Ceylon, whips were made from the prickly tails of small rays, with which criminals were punished, and on Seychelles such whips were kept to intimidate wives

The stingray needle inspires fear in fishermen. If a stingray gets into their net, they cut off its tail and only then the crippled animal is released back into the sea. Such a fate befell many large stingrays.

The fishermen of southern England believe that the oil obtained from the liver of stingrays can easily cure pneumonia, and also protects a person from this serious disease.
Off the coast of Mexico stingrays - stingrays groups of hundreds of individuals gather in small sea depressions, called "paradise".

It is not entirely clear why, with such menacing weapons, tourists are happy to splash and hug these stingrays. I didn't find an explanation for this:

The poisonous stingray needle is located on a long, pointed tail. When the stingray is enraged, it strikes with its tail and sets the needle into a state of readiness for action. This is a very powerful weapon that can paralyze a swimmer, inflict severe bodily harm on him, or even kill him. Tail needle length happens different. In some stingrays, it reaches 42 cm. This terrible needle has a groove with a poisonous secret.

Sea cat venom is highly toxic. It enters the wound with tissue filling the grooves of the spikes and immediately affects the cardiovascular system (causes a drop in blood pressure, increased heart rate), poisoning is accompanied by vomiting and intense sweating.

According to statistics, in the United States alone, about 1,500 people suffer from their injections every year. This happens not because stingrays are especially aggressive, they simply chose coastal waters for living in a vast area - from the countries of Northern Europe and North America to the middle latitudes of the southern hemisphere, and there are almost always a lot of swimmers and fishermen.

The sea cat's weapon is one or more sharp spines located at the end of a whip-like tail. Even a small half-meter stingray living in coastal waters Atlantic Ocean, the length of the tail spike reaches 20 centimeters, and 3-4-meter rays have a 30-centimeter spike on the tail as thick as a human foot. The stingray is capable of delivering a blow of such force that it can pierce the bottom of the boat with its tail spike.

So what's the point anyway? Are there non-poisonous stingrays? Tell …

This is how you can play with sea cats in the Caribbean, the Cayman Islands or in French Polynesia.

Occasionally, the European stingray is kept in aquariums with sea water, but keeping this stingray in a room aquarium is difficult - this requires a very large vessel (the optimal volume is about 1 thousand liters), in addition, the sea cat is very demanding on temperature regime and chemical composition water. However, fur cats are kept in large aquariums and oceanariums, for example in Alushta. In this aquarium, the stingrays receive food, consisting mainly of small marine fish.

Stingray (sea cat)

I saw the photo and immediately wanted to know what kind of “humanoid” creatures they were :-) And it turns out to be children of a sea cat!

Stingrays are known by the name of the sea cat. The stingray most likely got the name "sea cat" for its appearance - a stem resembling a tail and habits: like cute domestic cats, the stingray has a passion for night hunting in shallow water. In a calm state, the stingray burrows into the sand, leaving a protruding stalk on the surface, the stalk trembles (like a cat's) attracting curious victims ....

The sea cat lives in the waters of the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Europe and Africa, often kept in large flocks of several thousand individuals. In our country, it is found along the entire Black Sea coast, enters the Sea of \u200b\u200bAzov. The sea cat is a heat-loving bottom fish; it appears off our shores only in the summer, leaving them again in the fall. Usually the sea cat stays at the bottom, often half buried in the ground, and seems to be a shapeless motionless mass. However, periods of rest are replaced by unexpected rapid "ups". Having risen from the bottom, the stingray “floats” or “flies”, flapping its fins like wings, and stirring up sand and silt to make it easier to swallow crustaceans and mollusks living at the bottom.

The main food of the sea cat is small fish, crustaceans and other bottom animals.

The consumption of stingray meat is not widespread. Sometimes the needle of a caught stingray is used as a weapon - it can become the tip of a spear. Fish oil is obtained from the liver of stingrays.

Catfish- the most numerous of European stingrays. This animal can be found in the Atlantic Ocean, near the British Isles and Spain, as well as in the Mediterranean Sea.

In West Africa and Ceylon, whips were made from the prickly tails of small stingrays, with which criminals were punished, and in the Seychelles such whips were held to intimidate wives.

It is not entirely clear why, with such menacing weapons, tourists are happy to splash and hug these stingrays. I didn't find an explanation for this:

The sea cat's weapon is one or more sharp spines located at the end of a whip-like tail. Even in a small half-meter stingray living in the coastal waters of the Atlantic Ocean, the length of the tail spike reaches 20 centimeters, and in 3-4-meter rays, there is a 30-centimeter spike on the tail as thick as a human foot. The stingray is capable of delivering a blow of such force that it can pierce the bottom of the boat with its tail spike.

So what's the point anyway? Are there non-poisonous stingrays? Tell …

This is how you can play with sea cats in the Caribbean, the Cayman Islands or in French Polynesia.

Occasionally, the European stingray is kept in aquariums with sea water, but keeping this stingray in a room aquarium is difficult - this requires a very large vessel (the optimum volume is about 1 thousand liters), in addition, the sea cat is very demanding on the temperature regime and the chemical composition of water. However, sea cats are kept in large aquariums and oceanariums, for example, in Alushta. In this aquarium, the stingrays receive food, consisting mainly of small marine fish.