The Secret Lives of Rays and Skates
- Rylee Dudley
- Sep 15
- 6 min read
By Rylee Dudley
When we think of ocean predators, the mighty sharks usually steal the spotlight. But lurking beneath the surface of the Atlantic Ocean are their lesser-known relatives: rays and skates. Elegant, mysterious, and often misunderstood, these flat-bodied fish glide across the seafloor with mesmerizing grace. With over 600 species worldwide, rays and skates range from the well-known stingrays of tropical reefs to the deep-sea skates that dwell in the darkest depths of the ocean. While some species are threatened or endangered, few people realize the vital ecological role they play in maintaining healthy marine ecosystems. Let’s dive into the biology, importance, and challenges facing these magnificent creatures in the U.S. East Coast waters.
Rays and skates belong to the subclass Elasmobranchii. This group includes sharks and has been around for 400 million years. Like their sharky relatives, rays and skates don’t have bones! Their skeletons are made entirely out of cartilage, the same flexible material found in human noses and ears. This contributes to making them lighter and more agile in the water. Another trait shared with sharks are the specialized organs of ampullae of Lorenzini. These allow for the detection of electrical signals produced by other animals and aiding in finding prey beneath the sand. While they share some traits, rays and skates are uniquely adapted for life on or near the seafloor. They look identical, so what's the difference?
Rays are often recognized for their whip-like tails, which in some species carry stingers capable of delivering venomous strikes. Stingrays are a prime example, using their tails for both defensive and offensive mechanisms. Many rays give birth to live young, similar to some shark species. Some species, like the manta rays, can have wingspans that reach up to 23 feet. That’s nearly the length of the school bus and makes them the largest rays in the world! They also have an incredible ability to camouflage themselves by burying their bodies in the sand to avoid predators or ambush their prey of small fish and crustaceans.
Skates, on the other hand, have thicker, shorter tails, typically without stingers. Most skates vary from rays by laying eggs encased in tough egg cases (also known as “mermaid’s purses”). These mermaid purses come in all shapes and sizes, with some having curly tendrils to anchor themselves so they don’t drift away. You can often find these washed up on beaches, offering a glimpse into the reproductive cycles of these fascinating creatures. Some skates can even produce sounds by grinding their teeth. This is believed to be a form of communication or defense, but it is still being studied.
The coastal waters from Cape Cod to the Chesapeake Bay are home to several ray and skate species. Some of which include:
Clearnose Skate (Raja eglanteria)
Recognized by its translucent nostrils and spotted body.
Little Skate (Leucoraja erinacea)
A very common skate, especially around New England, that is often caught as bycatch.
Winter Skate (Leucoraja ocellata)
Larger and found in deeper, colder waters.
Rays and skates are essential in benthic (zones at the bottom of the ocean) ecosystems in a multitude of ways. Both rays and skates are foragers and feed on clams, shrimp, and crabs. Their foraging behavior disturbs sediments, increasing nutrient cycling. This encourages the growth of plankton and other microorganisms, which in turn fuel larger food webs. One interesting study showed that benthic stingrays along Virginia’s coast create “ray pits” when foraging in eelgrass (Zostera marina). These pits temporarily reduce seagrass shoot density and canopy height on pit edges that eventually begin to recover. Additionally, rays and skates serve as prey for larger animals like seals, sharks, and larger fish. Rays and skates are, in multiple ways, vital links in the food chain.
Despite their importance, these animals, like many in our oceans, face numerous threats. Many rays and skates are unintentionally caught in trawling operations. Trawling, especially in the scallop industry, is notorious for unintentionally catching rays and skates. These species are particularly vulnerable to bycatch because of their fragile bodies. Once caught, many rays and skates, unfortunately, cannot survive the traumatic experience. This problem is compounded by their slow reproductive rates, making population recovery especially difficult.
In another study, East Coast estuaries have lost around 8% of their tidal marshes since the mid-1800s. This was due to diking, filling, and construction, which reduced habitat extent. Rays and skates rely heavily on coastal ecosystems, including mangroves, seagrass meadows, and estuaries. These places allow for safe and successful feeding and breeding. However, coastal development and seabed mining are destroying these important grounds. As these habitats disappear or are altered, rays and skates are left with fewer places to live and must move to new places or die trying.
Warming waters are also shifting the range of many animals, including skates and rays. Some skates are extremely temperature-sensitive, as higher temperatures impact reproduction and migration patterns. Another climate-linked factor is ocean acidification, which in studies on the Little Skate (Leucoraja erinacea), has been shown to negatively affect embryonic survival, development rate, and metabolic performance. In acidified and warmer conditions, embryos from northern populations showed especially reduced body condition and slower development rates. These effects can mean an even lower survival rate for juvenile skates, which compounds pressures from overfishing and habitat loss.
Some skates are now targeted for food and bait. Most skate species, like many of their elasmobranch relatives, grow slowly, mature late, and produce few offspring in their lifetimes. Without the ability to reproduce quickly, even moderate fishing pressure can drive species to dangerously low numbers. The Thorny Skate (Amblyraja radiata) was once abundant in the Gulf of Maine. However, their populations have declined by more than 80% since the 1970s and are now a listed species of concern, primarily due to bycatch and slow recovery rates. This decline highlights the need for species-specific catch reporting, better fisheries management, and public awareness.
However, not all hope is lost for skates and rays. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) monitors population trends throughout the seasons, ensuring healthy levels. Regions in the Northeast have seasonal closures to protect spawning grounds, as well. Furthermore, there are efforts to raise public awareness of these species' troubles and to push for more sustainable fisheries practices.
How can you help?
Choose sustainable seafood: Look for skate sourced from well-managed fisheries (or avoid entirely).
Report “mermaid’s purse” sightings: If you are ever graced by a skate egg sack (also known as a “mermaid’s purse”), report it to a citizen science app like SharkTrust.
Support habitat protections: Mangroves, estuaries, and coastal wetlands are crucial for ray and skate populations as well as all animals that call these places home.
Rays and skates may not have the reputation of sharks or the popularity of dolphins, but their quiet presence is still essential to ocean health. These flattened fish, gliding like underwater kites, are a sign of a thriving benthic ecosystem. Their roles as predators, prey, and nutrient cyclers help maintain balance in the ocean. When they decline, the ripple effects are felt throughout the marine food web. So next time you’re walking along the shoreline or gazing out over the ocean, remember: just below the surface, rays and skates are quietly shaping the world beneath the waves.
Citations
Bologna, P., & Heck, K. L. (2024). The ecological role of benthic foraging stingrays on fine‑scale seagrass structure and function. Virginia Institute of Marine Science. https://scholarworks.wm.edu/items/b47d07c0-ab69-474d-bf24-c551beedb1fc
Consortium for Wildlife. (2022). Thorny skate | Consortium for Wildlife Bycatch Reduction. Bycatch.org. https://www.bycatch.org/focus-species/thorny-skate
Di Santo, V. (2015). Ocean acidification exacerbates the impacts of global warming on embryonic little skate, Leucoraja erinacea (Mitchill). Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 463, 72–78. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jembe.2014.11.006
García, V. B., Lucifora, L. O., & Myers, R. A. (2008). The importance of habitat and life history to extinction risk in sharks, skates, rays and chimaeras. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 275(1630), 83–89. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2007.1295
NOAA Fisheries. (2024). Winter Skate. NOAA. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/winter-skate/overview
Pew Charitable Trusts. (2024, November 21). New study reveals true size of many U.S. estuaries. https://www.pew.org/en/research-and-analysis/articles/2024/11/21/new-study-reveals-true-size-of-many-us-estuaries
Pierce, S. (2022). Impacts of Habitat Loss on Sharks and Rays. Marine Megafauna Foundation. https://marinemegafauna.org/human-threats-sharks-rays/habitat-loss
Szczepanski, John Andrew Jr., "Feeding Ecology of Skates and Rays in Delaware and Narragansett Bays" (2013). Open Access Dissertations. Paper 27.
