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The animal on the cover of ASP.NET in a Nutshell is a stingray. The stingray is a flat, rectangular fish with no dorsal or anal fins that lives in shallow coastal areas around the world. It hides itself in the sandy or silty sea bottom while feeding on fish, crustaceans, and mollusks. The stingray is best known for its long tail, which holds a serrated spine near the tail base. When threatened, this spine injects a powerful, and often fatal, venom into its victim. The venom contains proteins that can slow an animal’s respiration rate to dangerous levels. Humans are often surprised to learn, however, that the animal is normally gentle and nonaggressive.

Contrary to popular belief, stingrays usually sting humans only when stepped on by unsuspecting swimmers. When threatened in this manner, the animal reflexively whips its tail back to defend itself. This defense is effective against most animals, except for its main predator, the shark.

Populations living near stingrays have valued the animal for centuries-particularly in Polynesia, Malaysia, Central America, and Coastal Africa, where the stingray’s spine was used to create spears, knives, and other tools. More recently, the stingray has become a popular tourist attraction; the stingray ...

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