Which ray is named for the venomous barb on its tail?

The ray named for the venomous barb on its tail is the stingray.

The name “stingray” is descriptive: these batoid fishes are rays equipped with one or more sharp, often serrated tail spines that can deliver venom. The barb is generally near the base of the long, whip-like tail and is used defensively when a ray is threatened, trapped or accidentally stepped on.

Stingrays are not aggressive hunters of people. Their usual response to danger is to swim away, but a buried or startled ray can whip its tail upward with considerable force. The spine can puncture skin, while venom from tissue around the barb causes intense pain and inflammation.

The term should not be applied to every ray. Manta rays and many electric rays lack the characteristic venomous tail barb, while sawfish are distinguished by the toothed rostrum projecting from the head. Stingrays are also related to sharks: both belong to the cartilaginous fishes, whose skeletons are made primarily of cartilage rather than bone.