Fact Files

Chimaeras, Sharks, Skates and Rays

nice colored orange

Banded Wobbegong

 

Chimaeras, sharks, skates and rays are the class of fishes whose skeleton is made of cartilage, a tough, flexible supporting tissue. Sharks, skates and rays have gills that open to the outside, have no swim bladder and have a sandpaper rough skin covering rather than scales.

 

Spotted Eagle Ray

eagle ray

 

This large eagle ray is distributed throughout the tropical zones of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans. It migrates seasonally outside these areas with the summertime warming of the sea. Large shoals, sometimes numbering hundreds of specimens have been seen at sea. It is one of the largest eagle rays sometimes exceeding 10ft (3m) in width. Also, due to the thickness of its body it is rather heavy weighing 400 to 500lbs (181 to 227kg).