Skates and Rays

[deckardcanine]

The skate and ray are flat and boneless cousins to the shark.
If you should meet a skate or ray, you would do well to mark
The differences. For instance, rays are mostly shaped like kites,
Not rounded or triangular, with plates for stronger bites.
They’re bigger overall with longer, thinner, whip-like tails
That often have a venom barb with which the ray assails.
The skates’ defense is thorns along the middle of their backs.
Their dorsal fins are prominent to help with such attacks.
The skates lay eggs in “mermaid’s purses”—rigid, leath’ry cases—
While rays beget live pups. That seems to cover all the bases.