Sonic Rays

Roving Predators:

Sonic Rays are both graceful travelers of the ocean currents as well as deadly predators. Traveling in groups of up to fourteen these carnivorous shark cousins will always attack creatures larger than themselves, viciously blasting their targets with high-pitched shrieks before closing in to bite off mouthfuls of flesh. Occasionally, these Rays have even been reported attempting to attack ships.

Leaders and Followers:

A group of Sonic Rays is called a "squadron," which will always maintain the same numbers and social hierarchy. A single male will lead a squadron of Rays, which consists of his one mate and up to a dozen of his exclusively male children. A male Ray will not be taught how to navigate or how to find the best places for resting, hunting, and breeding while in his original squadron. Instead, males must be taught those skills by their "mate" when they are courted by a rogue female. Females born to an established squadron will be kicked out of the group as soon as they show they are able to make the telltale disabling shriek needed to hunt their own food.

Built for the Sea and Sky:

Sonic Rays are able to hold their breath for up to 10 minutes out of water, and have been known to leap from beneath the waves at high speeds, allowing them limited flight. This is due to the surprisingly light structure of their cartilaginous skeletons and modified fins that act as wings. A Ray can maintain this flight and even maneuver in the air, allowing for attacks to be made against prey from above or below.

Fearless, or Foolish?:

Though completely capable of hunting smaller fish, mammals, or even seabirds, Sonic Rays appear to prefer hunting prey orders of magnitude larger than themselves. They have been seen attacking Sea Kings , Navy warships, Pirate fleets, Giant trade vessels and more, with little regard for how stout a defense is presented by their targets. This behavior doesn't seem to have any apparent evolutionary benefit to the creatures; A squadron of Rays will typically lose up to half of their number in a single hunting excursion. Though nobody is sure of why they do this, sailors and tradesmen that know of them have called it intentional sport, citing the tactical implementations of the behavior to be evidence of an intelligence level above that of a regular fish.

Tactical Bombers:

Sonic Rays occasionally are seen with one or more Torpedo Fish attached to the undersides of their wings. Though it has not been confirmed by naturalists as of yet, this symbiotic relationship is speculated to have developed in response to ships becoming more widely used across the planet. The Ray provides flight and consistent altitude for the Torpedo Fish, who will detach themselves from their hosts when positioned above the deck of a ship or the head of a prey animal, using their sturdy heads to punch holes clean through even reinforced hulls and hardened scales. When their quarry finally succumbs to the damage, the two species will join together and feast on what is left of the helpless victims in the water.

Basic Information

Anatomy

In many ways, Sonic Rays resemble the humble manta ray. They sport a two tone color pattern that helps them blend with their environment, a flattened body with large modified pectoral fins reminiscent of wings. This structure is followed up by a thin, whip-like tail stretching half their body length. Though they may be similar in most physical aspects, Sonic Rays boast a notable difference in anatomy; their mouths. Sonic Rays have a large, gaping maw that is filled with concentric rows of rough-shaped teeth, designed to grate and tear away chunks of flesh from living prey.

Biological Cycle

Sonic Rays will lay their eggs at any time of year, but only in shallow coastal waters near spring or summer islands. A single mother Ray can lay up to a dozen eggs in a single clutch, the egg sac of which remains attached to the mother by means of a tether produced during pregnancy. The number of eggs lain at at time appears to depend on the current number of Rays in a group, as there are no documented cases of a squadron having more than fourteen Rays. Once hatched, a Sonic Ray will reach maturity by 6 months of age. During this time of explosive growth the young are watched over by vigilant parents, who teach their offspring to make their signature shriek, what to eat, what to avoid, and little else. Males will follow their father until they die, or until they are "acquired" by a rogue female to start their own squadron.

Additional Information

Social Structure

A squadron of Sonic Rays are always made up of a single lead male, who directs the group from the front while flanked by its male offspring and mate. Only a single female is allowed in any squadron, as the lead male will attack any female Ray that is not its chosen mate, even driving off female children that it had reared within a few months of them hatching. Females that have been evicted in this way will wander the seas until they find another squadron. If any of the sons in a squadron appeal to the female, she will attempt to separate that individual from his squadron by putting herself between the prospective mate and his kin. If the male loses track of his squadron then the female was successful, as losing track of a leader spells certain death for a follower Ray. The female will then lead her new husband in the opposite direction, never to see his family again but now on the fast track to starting one of his own.

Uses, Products & Exploitation

The stingers and teeth of Sonic Rays are used to make tough chords and precision tools respectively. Their meat is edible, though not too tasty for most pallets. Sonic Rays make their signature shrieks using a specialized organ made of cartilage, which can be extracted and used for a variety of purposes, the most common to be used being as cheap megaphones for those too poor to afford a Den-Den-Mushi.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Sonic Rays are found in all parts of the Grand Line, preferring to follow the unpredictable ocean currents as opposed to actively searching for and inhabiting an area.

Lifespan

5 years

Average Height

Sonic Rays are mostly flat, with some larger specimens growing out to nearly half a foot thick in the chunkiest areas. From the tip of their tails to their mouths they measure an average of 7 feet in length and up to twice that in width from wingtip to wingtip.

Average Weight

100-200lbs.

Average Physique

Sonic Rays resemble a regular Manta ray in many aspects, though they are much smaller and boast a massive maw of razor sharp teeth. This mouth is capable of emitting a deafening high-pitched shriek toward its prey that can stun even large marine creatures. Males of this species will typically be lesser in stature and weight than their female counterparts as well as sporting more bright coloration. Females also have a pattern of spots on their backs that is unique to each individual Ray.

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

A Sonic Ray will typically sport a two tone color scheme of white on its underside with a light blue on the top to blend with the waves above.