Ray & Skate

Ray and skate are among the most beautiful of fish. With their sail-like wings and vast size (manta, the largest, can weigh two tons) they resemble a flying saucer more than a fish, and can leap up to 6 ft/2 m out of the water. They are found almost worldwide.

Ray has a cartilaginous rather than bony skeleton, quite different from that of other fish. The wings, the part that is eaten, are made of semi-transparent bars of cartilage surrounded by long narrow strips of close-textured gelatinous flesh. The skin is thick; the underside has a gray or white tinge and the skin on top ranges from brown to gray and black, with mottled markings. The taste is said to resemble that of crabmeat or scallops, perhaps because of the shellfish diet preferred by ray and skate.