How do sting rays eat?

Answer 1

These animals are predators, and they eat all types of invertebrates and also fish, that they catch near or upon the bottom of the ocean (or rivers, in the case of the few freshwater species).

If you look at the ventral side of a ray you'll see its mouth, which appears small and pretty harmless because they don't have sharp teeth like the sharks, but sets of rather flat plate-like teeth.

However, rays can protrude their mouth (i.e. extend it forward outside their body) markedly, and their jaws are quite strong. With those teeth they can crush the exoskeleton of molluscs and other "hard" animals, as well as softer worms and fish.

In addition, stingrays are not as benthonic (bottom-dwelling) as the skates (the ones without stings). They use their wing-like appendages to swim in the water column - some even jump off the water - and can hunt for their prey in all types of oceanic pelagic (=open water) environments.

Bear in mind that the largest of stingrays (the manta rays) are mostly planktophagous (they don't eat large prey, they filter small planktonic animals using special "rakes" situated in their gills).

Answer 2

the Atlantic sting ray eats snapping turtles

Answer 3

According to my 4 year old son - Manta rays eat small fish and plankton.

Stingrays eat shelled bottom dwelling animals (molluscs, crustaceans) and sometimes bottom dwelling fish.

Answer 4

With their jaws (they can crack oysters & clams)

Answer 5

Sting rays really enjoy eating small fish. Sting rays often eat small fish as well as filter feed from the ocean floor.

Answer 6

sharks

Answer 7

Snapping turtles