Ray Fish

Wednesday (13/04/2011) a) About Ray • There are 500 types of Ray fish and the smallest is only 10 cm while the biggest is Manta ray about 67 m long….slightly smaller than a Giant octopus. • Each has got 2 eyes on the top surface, 5 pairs of gills below and 6th pair of gills above its eyes; looking like eyebrows. Its nostrils are below. Its fins can be of various shapes from round, slightly square and also to diamond shape. • Its tail is long and strong. Some have got shorter ones. • Protection: Some tails has got poison. Some have got spikes. Some have got thorns on its body. Some have got electricity to electrocute preys. They can also camouflage. They like hiding under the sand as their eyes can look up from the sand surface to catch their preys as well as to protect themselves from predators. • Preys: Invertebrates such as planktons, shell animals and also small fishes. • Predators: Hammerhead sharks, Moray eels and humans. • Features: No bones but have got cartilage like our nose. They are friendly to people and only attack to protect themselves. They glide beautifully as if flying in the ocean. They like sea bed, ocean bed and coral reefs. A few species can jump. Already existed when dinosaurs were around. They can bend their tails. They use their body skin to sense preys and danger. • Manta ray has got 2 lobes in front of their eyes which assisted them to push the food into their mouth. Manta’s mouth is in front unlike the others which are below. • Its skin can be used to make human goods such as bags, shoes, wallets and etc. b) Nemo Continuation • They swam deep into the ocean and saw an Anglerfish which chased them. Luckily, they managed to escape as the diver’s goggles trapped the Anglerfish to a rock. Dory manages to read the address which was in Australia. They swam up and met a school of Moonfish that showed them the direction of Sydney. Along the journey, they were surrounded by a big group of jellyfish. At first, Dory and Marlin hopped onto jellyfish head which is not poisonous. Then, they accidentally touched the tentacles and fell. They were saved by a group of turtles who were migrating. They met the baby turtles too. They asked him to tell a joke but Marlin couldn’t. However, he passed the message that “Nemo, don’t worry. Daddy is coming to rescue you.” The message was eventually passed round and Nemo was very happy to hear from a pelican that visits the dentist. • The turtles left Dory and Marlin nearby Australian ocean. ……..to be continued