Heliobatis, or stingray, as they are more commonly called, is one of the rarer finds in the fossil world. Finding a heliobatis is a fairly rare occurrence, to find a good intact specimen is even more difficult. The heliobatis fossil has been found up to 1 meter (3 feet) in length, but the average size is about 36cm (14 inches). The creature itself fed on bottom dwelling snails, crayfish, and other invertebrates. The stingray possessed two or three large barbed spines for defense which, like modern forms, it could drive away threatening organisms with its tail. The mail heliobatis can be recognized from the female by the occurrence of claspers (small appendages posterior to the pelvic fins). Like other fossils, the heliobatis requires a lot of work in cleaning and preparing the pieces for display.
