One interesting phenomenon sportfishing captains observed in Chesapeake Bay back in the mid-1960s was the association of cobia and cownose rays (
Rhinoptera bonasus).
The Cownose ray
Rhinoptera bonasus (Mitchill, 1815) (Myliobatidae) is an oceanic species found occasionally in sandy bottoms near the coast, feeding a variety number of bivalve mollusks and other benthic prey (Figueiredo, 1977; Froese and Pauly, 2016).
One of the common prey items of these sharks was the cownose ray (
Rhinoptera bonasus), which feed on scallops and clams in the Chesapeake Bay.
The Cownose Ray (
Rhinoptera bonasus) is also known as Cowfish or Skeete.
Thus, ray (
Rhinoptera bonasus) liver oil could be used as an alternative source for [omega]-3 PUFA's; however, due to the high degree of instauration of these oils, special care has to be taken in order to avoid lipid oxidation and rancidity, which can affect its shelf life (IGLESIAS & MEDINA, 2008).
A noteworthy tipping point in food availability will potentially be realized if submarket and market oysters (<76 mm shell height and >76 mm shell height, respectively) on oyster grounds in the lower James River become scarce due to a combination of predation [e.g., rapa whelk, blue crab, cownose ray
Rhinoptera bonasus (Mitchill, 1815)], oyster disease, freshets, and/or fishing activity.
Spatial distribution and long-term movement patterns of cownose rays
Rhinoptera bonasus within an estuarine river.
Effects of external biotelemetry transmitters on behavior of the cownose ray
Rhinoptera bonasus (Mitchill, 1815).
For instance, the cownose ray,
Rhinoptera bonasus (Mitchill, 1815), is capable of bite forces of about 220 N (Maschner, 2000); and the bite of the large black drum, Pogonias cromis (Linnaeus, 1766), can reach up to 1250 N (Grubich, 2005).
Otros investigadores ya habian advertido la similitud con el vuelo, como Rosenberger (2001), quien comparo la dicotomia entre la locomocion ondulatoria y la oscilatoria entre las aletas pectorales de ocho especies de batoideos que difieren en nado, posicion filogenetica y estilo de vida; hallo que
Rhinoptera bonasus (de morfologia similar a Manta birostris) es la unica que presenta un nado oscilatorio, es decir, mueven las aletas pectorales hacia arriba y hacia abajo similar al vuelo de las aves.
Rhinoptera - a genus of Myliobatidae