Fossil evidence shows that early fish, the ancestors of today’s bony fish, had skeletons made of cartilage. Today, the only fish that still have cartilaginous skeletons are the skates and rays. These two groups of primitive fish are closely related.
Several species of sharks and rays are attracted to the bounty of food that the reef has to offer. Although these types of fish have reputations as dangerous creatures, most are fairly shy and not aggressive toward humans. Like other reef residents, skates and rays spend their days looking for food. Because they have few predators, these two groups of animals do not invest much energy in defensive behaviors.
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| Sharks and Rays |