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How do rays move along the ocean bottom?
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fish
Diodon hystrix is a species of porcupine fish. These fishes are short and broad-bodied, with large eyes and spines covering their skin. Like puffer fishes, they inflate their bodies when threatened.
Rays are cartilaginous fish that typically live on or near the ocean floor. To move along the bottom, they primarily use undulations of their large, winglike pectoral fins.123
While many rays are bottom dwellers, their specific movement patterns can vary:
* Undulation: Most rays move by creating wave-like motions along their enlarged pectoral fins.13
* Burrowing: Some species, such as whip-tailed rays, use these broad fins to dig into sand or mud to uncover prey.2
* Resting: Many bottom-dwelling fish, including rays, often remain stationary on the substrate between periods of movement.3
In contrast to rays, other bottom-dwelling fish like flounders move by undulating their entire bodies.3