Stingrays, relatives to sharks, come in many varieties and can be found in many oceans. They can be of various sizes, shapes and weight.
The small ones found in the Atlantic Ocean weigh at most 1 kg while those found in the seas around Thailand can weigh as much as 100 kg or more. Stingrays owe their name to their long whip-like tail capable of inflicting severe wounds. Its unique shape had inspired the design of fighter planes and cars such as the “Black Widow II”, the “B-2 Spirit” and the “Corvette Stingray”.
The small varieties found in the Atlantic Ocean are appreciated for their meat while the much larger ones of Thailand are more valuable for their skin as their meat has a rather strong smell.
One variety of stingrays considered as the king of stingrays is called the Devilfish due to its shape which resembles horns.
All the stingrays have in common a flat shape. They swim very gracefully in a “flying motion”, flapping their sides like wings, and are favorites of aquariums. Their back is usually dark gray with various patterns, stripes and spots while their bottom is white which camouflages them from their predators.