Which marine animal has a venomous barb on its tail?

Which marine animal has a venomous barb on its tail? A stingray has a venomous barb on its tail. The barb, also called a stinger or spine, is a modified defensive structure covered by a sheath of venom-producing tissue. When a stingray feels threatened, it can whip its tail and drive the sharp barb into a predator or an unwary person.

Stingrays are bottom-dwelling relatives of sharks, belonging to the cartilaginous fish group. They often rest partly buried in sand or mud, where their flattened bodies provide camouflage. Their eyes sit on top of the body, while the mouth and gill openings are underneath. Most stingrays use crushing plates to feed on mollusks, crustaceans, and other seafloor animals.

The barb is primarily defensive, not a hunting weapon, and stingrays generally avoid people. Injuries commonly occur when someone steps near a concealed ray in shallow water. Manta rays are close relatives but lack a venomous tail barb. Skates may have tail spines, but these are not the same venom-delivery structure found in stingrays.