Stingrays glide gracefully through the water, their smooth, flat bodies moving with effortless elegance. But there's much more to these fascinating creatures than meets the eye. From their unusual way of seeing the world to their enexpected relatives, here are our top ten interesting facts about stingrays.
Sharky relatives
To begin our top ten stingray facts, let's start with their family tree. Stingrays and sharks might seem like ocean opposites, but they're actually cousins. Both belong to the elasmobranch family, meaning their skeletons are made of cartilage instead of bones. While sharks are known for being fierce apex predators, stingrays take a more relaxed approach to life, gliding over the ocean floor and minding their own business.
Odd design
In one of nature's more curious design choices, stingrays' eyes are positioned on top of their bodies, while their mouths, nostrils and gills are on the underside. This means they can't actually see their food while eating; instead, they rely on their sharp sense of smell and electroreception (more on that later) to locate prey. Their flat appearance is also an evolutionary design, as it helps them hide from predators such as sharks, orcas and seals in the sand.
Putting the sting in stingray
The sting in 'stingray' isn't just for show. Their barbed tail contains venom that can cause intense pain, swelling and can even be fatal in extreme cases. However, stingrays are not aggressive, and only sting in self-defence (usually when an unsuspecting beachgoer steps on one). That's why the 'stingray shuffle' (shuffling your feet in shallow water) is a smart way to give them a friendly heads-up before stepping too close.
Sneaky breathing
Our next favourite stingray fact focuses on how they breathe. Unlike most fish, which pull in water through their mouths, stingrays have small holes called spiracles located right behind their eyes. These spiracles allow them to take in water and push it over their gills without disturbing the sand around them. This clever adaptation helps them stay camouflaged while breathing to sneak up on prey - or avoid being prey themselves...
A special sense
Stingrays have a superpower: electroreception. Tiny jelly-filled pores on their 'face', called ampullae of lorenzini, help them detect the faint electrical signals given off by other animals. This ability is especially useful when they're hunting prey like crabs or small fish buried under the sand. Essentially, stingrays have built-in metal detectors, but rather than digging for treasure, they're after their next meal.
More than bottom-dwellers
While most people imagine stingrays as bottom-dwellers, some species - like the giant freshwater stingray - are known to break the surface and launch themselves into the air. Scientists aren't entirely sure why they do this, but theories include escaping predators, dislodging parasites or simply showing off their acrobatic skills. Whatever the reason, it's an impressive sight to see.
Big and small
Stingrays aren't a one-size-fits-all species, with over 200 species calling the waters their home. Some are small, like the Atlantic stingray (Hypanus sabinus), which can be the size of a dinner plate. Others, like the giant freshwater stingray (Urogymnus polylepis), can grow over five foot wide and weigh around 600lbs.
Baby stingrays
Stingrays are born ready to glide. Female stingrays give birth to live pups - tiny, fully developed replicas of their parents, complete with little wings and a miniature stinger. From the moment they're born, these young stingrays are independent, swimming and hunting on their own.
Taking a relaxed approach
With their graceful movements and relaxed lifestyles, stingrays seem to have mastered life in the slow lane. They prove that slow and steady really does win the race, as some stingray species can live up to 25 years (depending on their environment and threats from predators and humans).
Tropical travellers
After all our cool stingray facts, we can't miss out on where to find these fascinating creatures. Stingrays are well-travelled creatures found in oceans, rivers and coastal areas across the globe. They prefer warm, tropical waters (don't we all?), so you'll often see them gliding around the Caribbean, the Great Barrier Reef and the coasts of Southeast Asia. If you're looking for a friendly stingray encounter, places like Stingray City in the Cayman Islands or the shallow waters of the Maldives offer unforgettable experiences with these elegant creatures.
If you enjoyed this blog, you may also enjoy Our Top Ten Eagle Ray Facts, Our Top Ten Manta Ray Facts or Our Top Ten Mobula Ray.
