Learn more about the roughtail stingray!

Did you know that this stingray’s tail can grow more than twice as long as its body?

Perhaps the most eye-catching feature of this stingray is its long, whip-like tail, which may be more than twice as long as its body. Roughtail stingrays are named for the thorny plates, or tubercles, that run along the outer part of their body and base of their tail. Like other stingrays, the roughtail has one or two sharp, serrated spines, which are equipped with venom glands and covered with a thin layer of skin, which is called an integumentary sheath.

These rays are normally gentle, but will protect themselves by lashing their tail. The spine and its barbs pierce the integumentary sheath as they lacerate the skin of the victim, allowing venom to enter the wound.