Spending the majority of their time on the seafloor, Southern Stingrays are whiptail rays native to the Atlantic Ocean. Because they spend so much time buried, they get oxygen to their gills through tiny openings behind their eyes called spiracles. By burying themselves beneath the soft ground Southern Stingrays find themselves in good position for their prey of choice, shrimp, crab, and other crustaceans. Using their molariform teeth, stingrays can crush and grind the hard shell of prey to make it easier to digest.
From the moment they’re born, the southern stingray pups can use their tails to defend themselves, raising their tails up similar to a scorpion before thrusting it at attackers. The sting can be quite painful and leave wounds on a human, so it’s always best to avoid handling them when possible.
