Family counseling 

Sea cat. Sea cat fish: description and characteristics Sea cat stingray, structural features

Family Stingrays or Stingrays (Dasyatidae)

In stingrays, the pectoral fins merge with each other in front of the head. The tail part of their 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 disc, but in some species it is shortened and thickened. The skin of stingrays is smooth, and the spines on it are never numerous.


Stingrays got their name due to the fact that the upper surface of their tail is armed with one or several long dagger-shaped spines. The needles are flattened on the sides, covered with rough serrations along the edges and very sharp at the end. The length of the needle in large stingrays 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 back on its surface with its tip. A groove runs along its lower surface, at the bottom of which there are cells that secrete a poisonous secretion.


The tail spine of the stingray is terrible weapon which he uses for defense. The main enemies of stingrays are large sharks- often they wear fragments of such needles on their heads, indicating past contractions. The tail needle itself is motionless, but by bending its tail in a whip-like motion, the stingray can deliver very powerful blows with it. U large fish the impact force is such that the needle easily pierces leather shoes or several layers of clothing and enters deeply into the body of a person who accidentally disturbed a stingray lying somewhere near the beach. The poison penetrating into a puncture wound is very toxic and causes sharp spasmodic pain. At the same time blood pressure falls, palpitations occur, vomiting begins, and muscle paralysis is sometimes observed. There are known cases where 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, and in large species it reaches 2.3-2.5 m or more. Stingrays are found mainly in shallow tropical and sub- tropical seas, and only a few species inhabit moderately warm waters. Some of them enter fresh water bodies and even live in them permanently. Typically, 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, flapping their pectoral fins. This group also includes pelagic species that live in the water column far from the shores.


Stingrays are ovoviviparous, but the young developing in the womb, in addition to being nourished by 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. Bunches of such outgrowths penetrate into the squirter of the embryos, and the nutrient fluid enters directly into digestive tract.


In our waters, stingrays are found in the Black Sea and off the coast of Primorye. In Black and Seas of Azov stingray found sea ​​cat (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, appearing off our shores only in the summer 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 individuals weighing up to 20 kg are also found. The birth of juveniles in our waters occurs in June or July, when the female gives birth to from 4 to 12 cubs. The sea cat stays near the bottom and often burrows into the ground. His food consists small fish, crustaceans and other benthic animals.


The sea cat has some commercial significance and is sometimes caught in significant 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 in one seine sweep. 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 Southern 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 "Family Stingrays or Stingrays (Dasyatidae)" is in other dictionaries:

    FAMILY CAUDALATES- (DASYATIDAE) Stingrays have a very wide disc, 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 spines. These needles are flattened with... ... Pisces of Russia. Directory

Stingrays are called waterfowl butterflies. Where do these people get their nickname from? amazing fish, it becomes clear to anyone who has seen how stingrays move in the water. The tail is not used when swimming. Stingrays swim, making movements more similar not to the energetic strokes of the fins of other types of fish, but to the flapping of the wings of butterflies.

The peculiar body structure of stingrays significantly distinguishes them even from their closest relatives - sharks. However, it should be noted here that the ancient stingrays were very similar in appearance to their “relatives” - external changes began later, and they affected mainly appearance. Internal structure stingrays and sharks remained similar. Both of them belong to cartilaginous fish, which are distinguished by the absence of a swim bladder and an unossified skeleton. Stingrays have no bones - only cartilage.

The transverse mouth opening, nostrils and five to six pairs of gill slits are located on the underside of the head. The eyes and specific respiratory squirts are located on top - it turns out that stingrays are not destined to see what they eat.

Stingrays are bottom-dwelling fish, often bury themselves in the sand, which influenced the formation of the respiratory system. The fish inhales through the squirters located in the upper part of the head (immediately behind the eyes), exhaling through the gills. If, during inhalation, particles of dirt and silt get into the spray bottle, the stingray sharply throws out a stream of contaminated water.

Structural features of stingrays

    The structure of the stingray has a number of features that significantly distinguish representatives of the superorder Batoidea from other fish species.

    Flat body, diamond-shaped or rounded

    Front fins fused to the head

    No swim bladder

    The gills are located on the underside of the body

    Cartilaginous skeleton

    Electroreceptors that allow you to pick up the impulses of other fish (for example, heartbeat)

In the seas of tropical and temperate latitudes you can find 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.
REPRODUCTION
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; Most often they stay on the bottom of the sea.
Food: shellfish, crustaceans, fish.

Related SPECIES
About 80 species of stingrays ranging in size from 1.5 to 2.5 m are known. The species is a river stingray and lives in fresh water.
There are about 80 various types stingrays 4.4 m long. them hallmark - long tail in the form of a whip and a needle with a poisonous secretion, which is capable of causing painful and very serious damage.
REPRODUCTION
ABOUT reproduction of stingrays little is known. It is precisely established that in summer months the female produces from 2 to 9 fry. They develop in an egg attached to the walls of the oviduct.
The young also hatch in the female's body. In the mother's body, the fry first feed on substances contained in the egg yolk, and when they grow up, on a 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, with only the eyes, tip of the nose and tail 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 in winter they go to deeper waters. Other researchers believe that during the winter, stingrays simply burrow deeper into the sand.
FOOD
Stingrays feed sea ​​worms, crustaceans and other invertebrates. Large individuals eat dead fish and cephalopods.
The stingray's mouth is located on the underside of its head. Its mouth has several rows of blunt and wide teeth. They serve to crack shells of mollusks. Since the stingray has a camouflage coloring, it is practically invisible during hunting and is quite well protected from enemies.
Stingrays and Man
Eating 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. The jagged needles can cause serious injury to the enemy. Stingray venom is very toxic; it causes spasmodic pain, muscle paralysis, and sometimes leads to the death of the victim.

TYPES of stingrays
sea ​​cat- the most numerous of the European stingrays. This animal can be found in the Atlantic Ocean, near 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 it still survives, but at a lower temperature it 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 color of stingrays varies depending on their habitat. Some stingrays have a dark brown back, while other individuals have a dark gray back. The lower part of the body - the chest - can be white or light cream.
OR DID YOU KNOW THAT...
The Indians of Central America use the needles of stingrays to make spear tips, daggers and needles, and cover drums with leather.
The needle of stingrays inspires fear in fishermen. If a stingray gets caught in their net, they cut off its tail and only then release the crippled animal back into the sea. This fate befell many large stingrays.
Fishermen in southern England believe that the fat obtained from the liver of stingrays can easily cure pneumonia, and it also protects a person from this serious disease.
Off the coast of Mexico stingrays groups of hundreds of individuals gather in small sea depressions called “paradise”.
Stingray needle
The poisonous needle of the stingray is located on a long, pointed tail. When the stingray is furious, it beats its tail and brings the needle into a state of readiness for action. This is very strong weapon which can paralyze a swimmer, cause serious injury or even kill him.
Tail quill length can be different. In some stingrays it reaches 42 cm. This terrible needle contains a groove with a poisonous secretion.
PLACES OF RESIDENCE
Lives in all seas of the world, tropical and temperate zone, off the coast Mediterranean Sea. In the north it can be found even on the southern Scandinavian coast.
SAVE
Stingtail is not in danger of extinction, despite the fact that their food is mainly mollusks, which are very sensitive to habitat pollution.


If you liked our site, tell your friends about us!

Stingrays belong to the genus cartilaginous fish, it's quite dangerous. They can harm a person and even sometimes 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 of 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, thick tail extends 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 glands that produce poison. After the attack, the thorn itself remains in the victim's body, and a new one grows in its place.

A stingray is capable of “growing” several of them throughout its life. Interestingly, the local aborigines knew about this ability of stingrays, and used these spikes instead of tips when making spears and arrows. And they even specially bred these.

The eyes of stingrays are located at the top of the body, behind them there are squirts. These are openings in the gills. Therefore, they can breathe even when completely buried in the sand. long time.

Still on the body marine 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 capable of opening 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 its belly, on the contrary, is light.

In the photo there is a sea stingray

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

In the photo there is a river stingray

Distinctive feature blue stingray is not only its smooth purple bodies. But also a way of moving through 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.

In the photo there is a blue stingray

One of the types stingrays(sea cat) can be found in Black Sea. It rarely grows to 70 cm in length. The stingray is brown-gray in color 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.

In the photo there is a sea cat stingray

Character 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 resting place. They can pose a danger to humans.

Of course, they won’t attack on purpose. But if they are accidentally disturbed or stepped on, they will begin to defend themselves. The stingray begins to make sharp and strong attacks and pierces the enemy with its spike.

If it hits the heart area, almost instant 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. Before the ambulance arrives, the victim needs to suck out the poison from the wound and rinse it with plenty of sea ​​water. Similar poison as stingray, has also marine dragon, which is also found in the waters of the Black Sea.

To avoid becoming 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 cutting up a stingray carcass. Its poison remains dangerous to humans for a long time.

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

Although stingrays, by their nature, are rather solitary, they often gather in groups of more than 100 individuals near the coasts of Mexico. And they are located in shallow sea depressions, which are called “paradise”.

In European waters, these stingrays can only be seen in summer. When the water temperature drops, they swim away into more warm places for “wintering”, and some species simply bury themselves deep in 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 victim stingray slowly hovers near the bottom and slightly lifts the sand with wave-like movements. This is how he “digs out” food for himself. Thanks to its camouflage coloring, it is almost invisible during hunting and is reliably protected from its enemies.

Stingrays eat marine animals, crustaceans and other invertebrates. Larger specimens can also feast on dead fish and cephalopods. With their rows of blunt teeth, they easily chew through any shells.

Reproduction and lifespan of stingray fish

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

Stingrays heterosexual and internal fertilization is inherent in them, like all cartilaginous fish. The choice of pair occurs by means of pheromones that the female releases into the water.

The male finds her using this trail. Sometimes several of them arrive at once, then the one who is faster than his competitors wins. During mating itself, the male sits on top of the female, and, biting her on the edge of the disc, begins to insert the pterygopodium (reproductive organ) into her cloaca.

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

They join the squirter of the embryos, and thus the nutrient fluid is delivered directly to their digestive tract. After maturation, small stingrays are born curled up into a tube and, upon entering the water, immediately begin to straighten their discs.

In the photo there is an ocellated stingray

Males reach sexual maturity by 4 years, and females by 6. Stingrays bear offspring once a year. Its time depends on the habitat of the stingrays, but always occurs in warm period year.

Stingworms not in danger of extinction. They are not caught on an industrial scale. Stingrays are eaten and treated with liver oil. various diseases, including pneumonia.


Among cartilaginous fish the most dangerous is stingray. The so-called eagle rays- one of the largest and, perhaps, the most dangerous families marine poisonous fish.

The body of stingrays is flattened, like that of a flounder, since these fish also lead a bottom-dwelling lifestyle. On the sides they have greatly expanded pectoral fins, which have turned into wide, wing-like formations. Merging with the sides of the head and body, they help fish when swimming. The mouth and gill slits open on the lower side of the body, and the eyes are located on the upper side.

Stingrays, like bottom animals, lead a sedentary lifestyle, mostly They lie on the bottom, feed mainly on mollusks, gnawing their shells with their teeth. More often than others you can find radiant stingray, spiny stingray and some others. Their body, together with its fins, is shaped like a diamond on top. Comparatively great depths In the tropical seas live electric stingrays, the body of which has a rounded shape, as well as sawfish, whose body shape resembles a shark and reaches several meters in length. The habitat of stingrays is extensive. Stingrays can live in the cold waters of the Arctic and Antarctic, and in the warm waters of tropical seas, often almost close to the shore.


Inhabitant of Indian and Pacific seas- blue-spotted stingray (extremely toxic)

There is evidence that only on the coasts North America The average number of victims of stingrays is 750 people per year. Very often, people are injured by stingrays in the western part of the Pacific Ocean, for example, off the coast of China, Korea, Japan and in the south of the Primorsky Territory of Russia, where the dangerous red stingray. sea ​​cat also widespread in northeastern waters Atlantic Ocean, in the Mediterranean, Black and Azov Seas. The most dangerous wounds occur in the chest and abdomen. Of those injured, about 1% die.

Some species of stingrays, e.g. river stingrays, prefer shallow waters - no deeper than 1 m. They inhabit sheltered bays, shallow lagoons, sandy areas between reefs and even river mouths. Everywhere in these spaces it is quite easy to encounter them. Stingrays are not always visible because they burrow into the sand so that only their eyes, poisonous rod and part of the tail are visible. On the tail of many stingrays there are one to two jagged poisonous spines, the length of which depends on the type of stingray and its size.

For example, stingray Dasyatis hastata reaches a diameter of 2 m with the same tail length. At the base of the tail there is a jagged spine almost 40 cm long. This animal is gray above and blue below, which allows it to camouflage itself quite successfully in water. The stingray lives in coastal grass, where it catches crayfish and mollusks.

“And just imagine,” writes F. Talyzin, “what happens if you jump out of the boat and step on a stingray! He will immediately strike with a spike, forming a lacerated wound into which he will inject poison from the glands of the skin!”

Rare in Mexican waters, but found electric ramp, as large as the stingray. Its electrical organs are located on the sides of the body between the head and pectoral fins. The current voltage can reach 220 V, with a power of 8 A. Such a discharge can kill not only a person, but also a large animal. Also known from stingrays rhombic stingray, which lives in the waters from British Columbia to Central Africa. European stingray more often called a sea cat. It prefers the waters of the northeastern part of the Atlantic Ocean, often found in the Mediterranean Sea, Indian Ocean. This is one of the most common types of stingrays.


Offspring of the sea cat (European stingray, Dasyatis pastinaca) - real death with a smile - although, of course, funny faces are nothing more than a pattern on the underside of the body, characteristic of the species as a whole

Found in California waters and south to Mexico butterfly ray, and a very beautiful looking stingray - spotted bracken lives in the tropical part of the Red Sea, the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans. Quite numerous and California stingray, preferring Californian waters. Among freshwater stingrays we can distinguish South American, living in the rivers of Paraguay and Brazil. This stingray is very dangerous; there are many known cases of people being injured by the poison of this animal. And finally, among the numerous stingrays are also round stingray, which, unlike others, has a rounded body shape and a shorter tail. It lives in the waters of California and south to the Gulf of Panama.


The spotted eagle ray is a beautiful stingray belonging to the bracken family - one of the most dangerous and numerous

Preferring shallow water, stingrays can also be found near beaches, posing a threat to swimmers. Without noticing the animal buried in the sand, a person can come close to the stingray. Unlike many other fish, the stingray does not swim away from a person approaching it, being well protected by nature. A person who steps on him receives a strong blow to the leg with a spike from a sharp movement of the tail. Stingrays, more often than other poisonous fish, are the cause of accidents, since they are very numerous, well hidden in their favorite places and have a strong weapon of defense.

A person who is injured immediately feels severe pain. The pain from being hit by the tail of freshwater stingrays is especially severe. The victim may experience a sharp drop in blood pressure, vomiting, and stomach upset. There is an increase in heart rate, and paralysis may develop. At severe poisoning a person may die.

The jagged stingray spine along its entire length is attached to the skin in the middle part of the tail. Sometimes there are specimens that have three spines on the tail. Scientists believe that the spine is retained by the stingray throughout its life, since there is no evidence that the old spine is replaced with a new one every year.

Some Indian tribes use the jagged spines of freshwater stingrays native to the Amazon as naturally occurring arrowheads.

The spine consists of a substance similar to bone tissue. Several grooves run along its surface. A deep groove also runs from its lower surface along each side of the edge. It contains soft grayish tissue, which produces a poisonous secretion.

Stingray venom is primarily a protein, which can be divided into ten different fractions or parts. At least five of them are poisonous.