NC Some of the most unusual animals in the oceans are the flat fish called skates. These are grouped in the same class as sharks because they have a cartilage skeleton instead of true bones. They commonly bury themselves in the sand in the shallow parts of the ocean and can be seen as you wade in the water.
Skates are unusual fish.
They have wing-like pectoral fins that resemble the wings of an aircraft but are flapped much like a bird. Their teeth are molar-like, arranged in rows, and can be either blunt or sharp. These are used to crush and chew crustaceans and mollusks. My wife and I noticed these strange egg casings as we walked along the beaches of the outer banks of North Carolina. In appearance, they are almost black and rectangular with unusual hooks emanating from each corner.