What is the Difference Between Skates and Rays?

The main differences between skates and rays are in their reproductive strategies, body shape, and tails. Here are the key distinctions:

1. Reproductive Strategies: Rays are live-bearing (viviparous), while skates are egg-laying (oviparous). Skates release their eggs in hard rectangular cases sometimes called "mermaid's purses".
2. Body Shape: Rays are typically diamond-shaped, while skates are triangular or rounded, often with an extended, pointy nose. However, some species of skates are referred to as rays, such as the thornback and undulate rays.
3. Tails: Rays usually have long, whip-like tails, while skates have shorter, thicker, and fleshy tails. Some rays have a venomous spine on their tails, whereas skates have thorny projections.
4. Dorsal Fins: Skates typically have a prominent dorsal fin, while the dorsal fin is absent or greatly reduced in rays.
5. Pelvic Fin Lobes: In stingrays, there's one lobe on each of their two pelvic fins, located at the base of the tail. Skates' pelvic fins have two lobes.
6. Size: Rays are generally larger than skates. The giant manta ray, for example, can reach up to 9 meters in width.
7. Teeth: Skates have small teeth, while rays have plate-like teeth adapted for crushing prey.

Comparative Table: Skates vs Rays

Skates and rays are both cartilaginous fish, closely related to sharks, and can be found in Maryland's Coastal Bays. They share some similarities, such as being elasmobranchs (cartilaginous fish) and having similar feeding habits, preying on small shellfish like crabs and clams. However, there are several key differences between skates and rays. Here is a table summarizing these differences:

While both skates and rays share some commonalities, they have distinct differences in their reproduction, tail structure, teeth, size, and habitat preferences.