is a bat ray a fish

Full Answer

What is a bat ray?

The bat ray ( Myliobatis californica) is an eagle ray found in muddy or sandy sloughs, estuaries and bays, kelp beds and rocky-bottomed shoreline in the eastern Pacific Ocean, between the Oregon coast and the Gulf of California. It is also found in the area around the Galápagos Islands.

Are bat rays and stingrays the same thing?

Bat rays and stingrays are both cartilaginous fish that are known for their distinctive flat shape and long tail with it’s venomous barb on the end. They both like warm, coastal waters and they both feed on or near the ocean floor. Therefore, it’s not surprising that they are often mistaken for one another. So how do we tell them apart?

Can you fish bat rays in the US?

Currently, the bat ray is fished commercially in Mexico but not the United States. Prehistorically, native tribes on the California coast (probably Ohlone ), especially in the San Francisco Bay area, fished bat rays in large numbers, presumably for food.

Where do Bat rays live in the ocean?

It’s found in muddy and sandy-bottom bays, kelp forests and close to coral reefs. Spotted eagle rays, common eagle rays; Subclass: Elasmobranchii (skates, rays and sharks); Family: Myliobatidae (eagle rays) Those batlike wings also aid rays in the hunt for food. A bat ray flaps its pectoral fins in the sand to expose buried prey, like clams.

Is a stingray a fish?

Stingrays, with their wide, flat bodies, may not look like fish, but they are. They are related to sharks, and like their shark cousins, they do not have bones. Instead, their bodies are supported by cartilage—the same material that you feel inside the tip of your nose.

Is a bat ray a shark?

Bat rays are euryhaline, i.e. they are able to live in environments with a wide range of salinities. Predators of the bat ray include California sea lion, great white sharks and broadnose sevengill sharks....Bat rayOrder:MyliobatiformesFamily:MyliobatidaeGenus:MyliobatisSpecies:M. californica11 more rows

Is a ray a fish or mammal?

ray, any of the cartilaginous fishes of the order Batoidei, related to sharks and placed with them in the class Chondrichthyes. The order includes 534 species. Rays are distinguished from sharks by a flattened, disklike body, with the five gill openings and the mouth generally located on the underside.

Can a bat ray hurt you?

While not aggressive, bat rays can inflict a painful wound with their venomous spine. When entering waters where there may be rays, swimmers are advised to shuffle their feet through the sand, movements which cause buried rays to move away. The walk-in-the-water is called a “ray shuffle”.

Is a bat ray good to eat?

Hey Boiler, Bat rays are real good eating if you soak the meat from the wings in milk for a few hours. Some places sell bat ray meat as scallops.

What do bat rays eat?

Bat ray teeth are fused into plates that can crush the strongest clam shells. The ray crushes the entire clam (or other molluscs) inside its mouth, spits out the shells and then eats the soft, fleshy parts.

Are stingrays lay eggs?

Did you know that stingrays give birth to live young and not eggs as most people expect of a fish? Stingrays, like our eagle ray below, are "ovoviviparous" - this means that the mother keeps the eggs inside her body after they hatch, feeding the pups fluids and egg yolks to help them grow.

What kind of animal is a ray?

Rays and skates are dorsoventrally flattened fish that are closely related to sharks. All are considered to be within a closely related group of fish called elasmobranchs. Rays belong to three scientific orders – Pristiformes, Myliobatiformes, and Torpediniformes while skates are classified in the order Rajiformes.

Is Shark a true fish?

Sharks and lampreys are not true fish because their skeletons are made of cartilage rather than bone. Sharks and lampreys are not true fish because their skeletons are made of cartilage rather than bone.

Can you touch a bat ray?

(The rays in the outdoor exhibit have their barbs clipped, allowing humans to touch them without fear of coming in contact with the animal's sharp and potentially venomous tail spine, or stinger.)

Can you keep bat rays?

Answer: No. Fish and Game Code section 4758 prohibits the sale of any bear parts, even if the bear is not native to California, and violations are prosecuted as felonies.

How do you catch a bat ray?

Boat boat and shore anglers have a shot at them. Bait fished right on the shallow bottom is the method of choice. Fish the incoming water up to high tide. Since Batray are nocturnal feeders, tides corresponding with dusk or dawn, or even dark if local regulations permit, are probably the best.

Are bat rays a type of stingray?

One of the families of stingrays is known as eagle rays, and they are especially notable for having a longer tail than other stingray species. Bat rays are part of the eagle ray family....Comparing Stingray vs Bat Ray.StingrayBat RaySnoutFairly rounded, not distinctDistinct comes to a point9 more rows•Mar 3, 2022

Can you keep bat rays?

Answer: No. Fish and Game Code section 4758 prohibits the sale of any bear parts, even if the bear is not native to California, and violations are prosecuted as felonies.

How big can a bat ray get?

The maximum disc width reported for the bat ray is 6 feet (180 cm) with a maximum weight of close to 200 pounds (91 kg). At birth, young bat rays have a disc width of approximately 1 foot (. 3 m). Typically, females grow larger than males, reaching weights of up to 200 pounds (91 kg).

What is a group of bat rays called?

Did you know a group of rays is called a 'fever'?

Where do bat rays live?

The bat ray ( Myliobatis californica) is an eagle ray found in muddy or sandy sloughs, estuaries and bays, kelp beds and rocky-bottomed shoreline in the eastern Pacific Ocean, between the Oregon coast and the Gulf of California.

What do bat rays eat?

Bat rays feed on mollusks, crustaceans and small fish on the seabed, using their winglike pectoral fins to move sand and expose prey animals. They may also dig trenches up to 20 cm deep to expose buried prey, such as clams. Bat ray teeth are flat and pavementlike, forming tightly-packed rows that are used for crushing and grinding prey—the crushed ...

How long do bat rays live?

Bat ray reproduction is ovoviviparous. They mate annually, in the spring or summer, and have a gestation period of nine to twelve months. Litter sizes range from two to ten — pups emerge with their pectoral fins wrapped around the body, and the venomous spine is flexible and covered in a sheath which sloughs off within hours of birth. Bat rays live up to 23 years.

How big do bat rays get?

The largest specimens can grow to a wingspan of 1.8 m (5 ft 11 in) and a mass of 91 kg (201 lb). They more typically range from 9.07–13.61 kg (20.0–30.0 lb). The size of the bat ray is dependent on many factors, such as habitat alterations, different oceanographic and environmental conditions. Bat rays have one to three venomous barbed spines ...

What are the predators of bat rays?

Predators of the bat ray include California sea lion, great white sharks and broadnose sevengill sharks.

What are bat ray teeth used for?

Bat ray teeth are flat and pavementlike, forming tightly-packed rows that are used for crushing and grinding prey— the crushed shells are ejected and the flesh consumed. As with all elasmobranchs, these teeth fall out and are replaced continuously.

Is a bat ray dangerous?

While the bat ray, like other stingrays, has a venomous spine in its tail (near the base), it is not considered dangerous and uses the spine only when attacked or frightened.

Why does bat ray urea smell?

As the bat ray processes urea through its skin, it can develop an ammonia smell if handled improperly. Avoid buying pieces that smell like ammonia and when sport fishing, eliminate gut immediately after obtaining and put on ice. [ 10, 11]

Where do incidental rays come from?

Most of the incidental catch of rays is from trawling, which is regulated through limited entry. [ 12]

What is the best way to cook fish?

Prepare as you would any other fish, but recommend cooking methods are sautéing, deep-frying or poaching. [ 10, 11]

Why do fish burrow with their snout?

Burrows with its snout and flaps its wings to uncover mollusks, crustaceans and small fish prey on the sandy seafloor; other fish take advantage of this behavior to find “leftovers” in the pit that is formed. [ 1]

What is a trash fish?

Rays and skates are seen as “trash fish” in America, but in France they are viewed as a delicacy. [ 10]

Who regulates the California fishery?

As established by the Marine Life Management Act, the California Fish and Game Commission (CFGC) regulates the fishery, and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) manages this fishery in state waters. [ 8, 15]

Do bat rays eat crabs?

Previously thought to disturb oyster fields, but it was recently discovered that bat rays eat crabs, a primary predator of oysters. [ 1]

What is a bat ray called?

Bat Ray. Myliobatis californica. The bat ray’s triangular pectoral fins are often called wings and compared to those of a bat, hence the common name. These rays swim gracefully by flapping their pectoral fins like birds. The fins are also used to hunt for food. The rays flap their pectoral fins in the sand to expose buried prey ...

Where are bat rays located?

They have pointed pectoral fins resembling wings. Like most other rays, the mouth of bat rays is located on the ventral (bottom) side. It contains broad, flat, fused teeth that form grinding plates. Two claspers used for mating are located on the underside of the base of the male’s tail.

What is the spine on a bat ray?

The venous spine (barb) on the bat ray’s tail is a modified dermal denticle; the structures that cover primarily the dorsal surface of most sharks and rays, substituting for the scales most bony fishes have. While the sting of a bat ray is painful, it is not usually serious. One of our bat rays in our touch pool. Andrew Reitsma.

When do bat rays come together?

During breeding season , bat rays come together in large aggregations with mating taking place in the late afternoon. A courting male swims in a synchronized movement below the belly of a receptive female and using spines above his eyes to maintain his position, inserts one clasper into the female to deposit his sperm.

How big do rays get?

These rays are brown to olive or almost black in color on the dorsal or top side and white on the bottom. Size. They can grow to 1.8 m (6 ft) in width and to a weight of 95 kg (210 lb). Diet. They feed on small bony fishes, snails, worms, shrimps, clams, abalone, and crabs.

What protects bats from predators?

Bat rays’ countershading, a form of camouflage, protects them from predators above and below. Viewed from above by a predator, a ray’s dark dorsal or top side blends into the dark ocean depths. In contrast, when a predator looks up from below, the white ventral or bottom side of the ray blends into the light coming from the surface of the water.

Can bat rays hurt you?

While not aggressive, bat rays can inflict a painful wound with their venomous spine. When entering waters where there may be rays, swimmers are advised to shuffle their feet through the sand, movements which cause buried rays to move away. The walk-in-the-water is called a “ray shuffle”.

What is a bat ray?

The Bat Ray has a flat triangularly-shaped body with a distinctive face. They are uniformly olive, dark brown or black dorsally and off-white ventrally with the exception of the undersides of their pectoral fins, which are dark (pictured below) and have no distinguishing marks. Their head is large, bulbous, and protruding with a blunt rounded snout that projects well before the disc. They have large eyes and spiracles on their sides, a mouth on the underside equipped with seven series of flat, pavement-like plates of strong teeth utilized for crushing and grinding prey. They have a single dorsal fin at the base of a slender and whip-like tail that can be as long as or up to three times longer than the body. Their tail has a spine located just behind the body that can have up to three venomous barbed spines used for self-defense. Their pectoral fins are bluntly pointed with concave rear margins. They have smooth skin without denticles.

What is the name of the ray that resembles a bat?

The Bat Ray received its common name from its pectoral fins which resemble bat wings . Globally, there are eleven species in the genus Myliobatis, of which five are found in Mexican waters, one in the Atlantic, ...

What is the difference between bat rays and manta rays?

The Bat Ray is usually confused with the Manta Ray but lacks the arm-like cephalic fins present on either side of the Manta Ray’s head. They can also be confused with the Golden Cownose Ray, Rhinoptera steindachneri (red-brown color; large square head) and the Longnose Eagle Ray, Myliobatis longirostris (red-brown color; narrow pointed head with shovel-like snout; black rear margins of their disc).

How deep are bat rays?

The Bat Ray is a bottom dweller found in muddy and sandy bottomed bays, rocky bottoms, and kelp forests; they are found in both shallow waters and at depths up to 175 m (575 feet). Their maximum disc width is 1.8 m (5 feet 11 inches) and they can weight up to 108 kg (240 lbs).

Where are bat rays caught?

There is a small commercial fishery for the Bat Ray in the northern part of Baja where they are consumed for food and also sold commercially on a limited basis.

Is there a conservation measure for bat rays?

At present there are no conservation measures in place for the Bat Ray. They are considered harmless to humans. Fossils of Bat Rays have been dated in excess of 1,000,000 years old. This species was believed to be an important food source for the Native Americans of California.

What color are bat rays?

Their coloring is blackish or blackish brown above and white below. Beware of the stinger.

Where do bat rays live?

Big bat ray taken at the North T-Pier in Morro Bay. Range: Gulf of California to Yaquina Bay, Oregon. Common from Bahia Magdalena, southern Baja California, to Arcata Bay and Humboldt Bay in northern California. Habitat: Prefers a flat, rocky bottom or sand among rocks although also seems to enjoy hanging around kelp beds.

How do bat rays use their pectoral fins?

It’s reported by the way that these strong rays use their pectoral fins to lift their body rapidly up and down to create a suction that sweeps away the sand and gives easy access to their food on the bottom. Because of the potential large size, anglers wishing to fish specifically for bat rays should use heavy tackle and have a gaff or net available to bring the fish up onto the pier. Never use a pier gaff to lift them up to a pier unless you’re intending to keep them for food.

What do bat rays eat?

Bait and Tackle: Bat rays eat a wide variety of foods with oysters, clams, crabs, shrimp, abalone, snails and worms being scarffed down on a regular basis. To be expected, they’ll also take almost any bait.

Why should bat rays be exterminated?

His most egregious was that “These giant Bat Rays should be exterminated whenever possible because of their menace to crabs, lobsters, and all kinds of edible shellfish. ”. Although it’s true that those species may be included in a bat ray’s diet, I’m not sure why they were singled out over predators.

How deep do bat rays fly?

Most common in intertidal waters but recorded to a depth of 577 feet. Piers: Bat rays are caught at almost all piers in California, both oceanfront and those in bays.

How much does a bat ray weigh?

Although we’ve had several reports over the years of bat rays weighing 200 pounds or more, the official state (and world) record remains a fish that weighed 181 pounds 0 ounces. It was caught at the Huntington Beach Pier on July 24, 1978 by Bradley A. Dew, a senior at Huntington Beach High School. Records indicate it was 23 pounds over ...

What are bat rays' eyes like?

They have big cow-like eyes. Funny thing about a bat ray, they’ve got black eyes, lifeless eyes like a doll’s eyes. With large fish caught in bay waters, the sooner you clean the fish the better. This immediately rids the fish of toxins and parasites in the innards.

What is the color of Moe Bat rays?

Moe-Bat rays have very large heads, ear holes (I use these to grab them when I pitch them back in the water), and are brownish-black on top and white on their bellies. I have never caught an actual stingray in the S.F. Bay (where I fish) but I have caught a thornback ray or two.

Why do people get stung by rays?

More often than not, people get stung by rays because they are not paying attention, or are intrigued by the stinger and want to touch it. I’ve yet to catch a ray where the stinger was not exposed, and they WILL sting you if given the opportunity. I’ve seen people get stung, and it is not a pretty sight.

How long does it take for bat rays to grow back?

Apparently it takes 4-6 weeks for the spines to grow back because they have to do this little operation on a regular basis to prevent the spines from becoming dangerous. By the way, the bat rays, minus their stingers, are about the friendliest fish you will see.

How to pick up big rays?

By the mouth is the only effective way to pick up big rays with one hand since their nostrils are too far apart. Watch out for your hook though!

How big should a striped bass be?

I personally don’t keep striped bass over 28 inches or so, for an example.

Where do stingrays get injured?

“A quarter of all stingray-related injuries reported in the United States occur at little tiny Seal Beach, ” says Lowe. “For locals who have lived here for a long time, it’s commonly called Ray Bay.”

Overview

Diet

Bat rays feed on mollusks, crustaceans and small fish on the seabed, using their winglike pectoral fins to move sand and expose prey animals. They may also dig trenches up to 20 cm deep to expose buried prey, such as clams. Bat ray teeth are flat and pavementlike, forming tightly-packed rows that are used for crushing and grinding prey—the crushed shells are ejected and the flesh consumed. As with all elasmobranchs, these teeth fall out and are replaced continuously.

Relationship with humans

Life cycle

Gallery

External links