Some species of ray feed on zooplankton so they filter feed. They have adapted teeth specifically for crushing the shells and exoskeletons of their prey. So they usually only hunt along the bottom of the seafloor. Rays tend to eat shellfish, crustaceans, and mollusks. Most sharks can swim up to 25 mph (40 kph), while the fastest sharks on the planet, Mako Sharks, can swim at an impressive 60 mph (96.6 kph). Rays also swim more slowly than sharks, usually around 9 mph (14.5 kph) with top speeds of 22 mph (35.4 kph). The propel themselves by swinging their tails back and forth and then steering their movements with their pectoral fins. Sharks on the other hand use their tails to swim. They then use their tails to help them steer and maintain balance. Other rays will wiggle their bodies in a wave-like motion to propel themselves. Some rays flap their pectoral fins like wings to help propel them both forward and laterally. Rays swim two different ways depending on the species. Sharks And Rays Swim DifferentlyĪnother big difference between sharks and rays is how they swim. So sharks tend to be more active swimmers in order to breath, while rays can sit still for long periods. They either ram breath which means they swim through the water passing it over their gills or they pull in water through their mouths and over their gills. Sharks on the other hand breath in two ways depending on the species. Rays breathe by sucking in water through their spiracles and exhale it over their gills. First of all rays have gill slits on the underneath side of their bodies, while sharks tend to have gill slits on the sides of their heads. Though both sharks and rays use gill slits to breath underwater, they tend to breath differently. So there are some obvious differences in appearance. Sharks also have caudal fins on their tails which tend to be long and bulkier. Some species of sharks have anal fins and others do not have spiracles. They also have much smaller pectoral fins that are very distinct from their body. Sharks on the other hand, even with flatter bodies tend to be more elongated and slender. They also have no anal fins but they always have spiracles on the top of their heads. Depending on the species, rays range in size from 10 in (25 cm) to 7 ft (2 m). Rays also have long skinny tails at the ends of their bodies and tend to be much smaller than most sharks. They have disc-like, circular shaped bodies with very large connected pectoral fins. Though some sharks have long, flatter bodies, the bodies of rays are really flattened. Differences In Appearance Between Sharks And Rays These reports are surprisingly common for such different looking species. One such report was in 2005 when beachgoers thought a group of clam-eating rays were sharks engaging in a feeding frenzy off the coast of Staten Island in New York. On the flip side, there have also been cases where a school of rays have been reported as a school of sharks. Bottom-dwelling sharks like Angel Sharks, Carpet Sharks, and Wobbegongs all have long flat bodies and wide pectoral fins, so people often mistake these sharks for rays. Some of these sharks have physical traits that make many people mistake them for a species of ray. There are over 440 different sharks of the world and they all have very unique physical characteristics. Rays And Sharks Have Different Defensive Mechanisms A Case Of Mistaken Identity
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