Name: Bat Ray
Information: Though their dark color and large size might look intimidating to the observer, bat rays are gentle and shy by nature. They swim gracefully by flapping their batlike wings (pectoral fins) bird style — a feature that gives these rays their common name and their family name, eagle rays. Found from Oregon to the Gulf of California, and in the waters around the Galapagos Islands, bat rays are large creatures that can attain a wingspan of six feet. Bat rays feed on mollusks, and small fish on the seabed, using their winglike pectoral fins to move sand and expose prey. They may also dig trenches up to 20 cm deep to expose buried prey, such as clams. Bat ray teeth are flat and pavementlike, forming tightly-packed rows that are used for crushing and grinding prey. For more information about this creature please visit the following websites: NOAA