Stingrays are a group of sea rays, which are cartilaginous fish related to sharks. They are classified in the suborder Myliobatoidei of the order Myliobatiformes and consists of eight families. There are about 220 known stingray species organized into 29 genera.
Stingrays are common in coastal, tropical, and subtropical marine waters throughout the world. Some species, such as the thorntail stingray, are found in warmer temperate oceans and others, such as the deepwater stingray, are found in the deep ocean. The river stingrays and a number of whiptail stingrays are restricted to fresh water.
Stingrays are not usually aggressive and ordinarily attack humans only when provoked, such as when they are accidentally stepped on. Stingrays can have one, two, or three blades. Contact with the spinal blade (which in some species also contains venom) or blades can cause local trauma (from the cut itself), pain, swelling, muscle cramps from the venom and, later, may result in infection from bacteria or fungi. The injury is very painful, but rarely life-threatening, unless the stinger pierces a vital area.
Stingray species are progressively becoming threatened or vulnerable to extinction, particularly as the consequence of unregulated fishing. As of 2013, 45 species have been listed as vulnerable or endangered by the IUCN. The status of some other species is poorly known, leading to their being listed as data deficient.
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Trivia[]
- The venom of the stingray has been relatively unstudied due to the mixture of venomous tissue secretions cells and mucous membrane cell products that occurs upon secretion from the spine blade.
- While fatal stings by stingrays are very rare, a tragic accident occurred on September 4, 2006 on the Great Barrier Reef when the Austrian zookeeper, conservationist, and television programmer Steve Irwin was killed by a short-tailed stingray. Irwin's death prompted worldwide distress reaction and shock.
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