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they move by flapping their "wings" or "fins". Rays spend much of their time lying motionless on the seafloor or riverbed. Their tails are in many instances vestigial and in certain species non-existent. Although stingray and skate pectoral fins are attached along their entire basal length, their outer margins are highly flexible. This flexibility allows them to roll their pectoral fins through the water either backwards or forwards. The ray is then propelled backward or forward on this pressure wave. At full speed this movement is accentuated from a fin ripple into a flapping motion. The Eagle, Manta and Mobula rays employ this flapping motion all the time. Electric rays, guitarfish, and sawfish, have retained more "shark like" streamlined bodies. They use tail propulsion for forward momentum and often use their pectoral fins to stand above the substrate. This stance probably allows them to accelerate forward more quickly. Electric rays also have the ability to hop forward on their pelvic fins.

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16y ago

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