DORSAL 



VENTRAL 



Nostril 



Caudal Fin 

 Dorsal Fin 



'M^ Dorsal Fin 



A generalized skate illustrating terms used in description. 



the spiracles visible. But there are 

 exceptions- -one species, at least, 

 is pelagic. The pelagic stingray, 

 Dasyatis violacea, has been taken by 

 Bureau research vessels in both the 

 Atlantic and Pacific near the surface 

 hundreds of miles from land. 



Although basically marine fishes, 

 a few species of stingrays have taken 

 up residence in the lower parts 

 of some rivers in Florida and South 

 America, and sawfishes f r e qu e n 1 1 y 

 enter fresh water--often for prolonged 

 periods. 



Abundance 



In numbers of individuals, the 

 skates and rays compare more favor- 

 ably with the sharks than with the bony 

 fishes. They are abundant locally and 

 seasonally, but cannot be considered 

 abundant inhabitants of the seas in 

 general. Stingrays are often sufficiently 

 numerous along the coasts of South and 

 Central America, in the Caribbean, and 

 on the coastal trawling grounds of the 

 southern portion of the United States to 

 constitute a serious nuisance to com- 

 mercial fishing operations. They are 

 also found around some bathing beaches, 



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