Thornback Rays (Raja clavata) are identifiable by their thorny plates along their tail – usually two. Their body is brown in colour with yellow patches. Thornback rays, like other rays and skates have firm wing-like pectoral fins to help them glide through the water.
Rays are related to sharks and share many of the same characteristics such as having a body made out of cartilage, rough skin made from dermal denticles (or ‘skin teeth’) to give them an aerodynamic advantage in the water, and gill slits to breathe.
Rays have small openings called spiracles above their eyes on top of their body which allows them to breathe if they are sitting on the floor.
Type
Fish
What do they eat?
Crustaceans, small fish
Size
120cm
Water Type
Cold saltwater
Where are we?
North Atlantic, UK coasts
See Us At
Rocky Shores
Captive Breeding
We collect ray eggs from the Bay of Rays and raise those that are fertile to become juvenile rays!