a bony rod supporting a fin. Rays are usually branched into two halves (side by side), are often segmented, and usually flexible
segmented and branched fin supports, counted from the first long ray (as #1) to the last one, branched to its base ganoid--hard enameloid scale
Each of the bony spines in the fins of bony fishes.
a slender, rod-shaped structure that supports the membranes of the fins. There are two types of rays, soft rays and spines. Soft rays are jointed, often branches, and flexible near their tips. Spines are unjointed, unbranched, and usually sharp at the tip and stiff along the shaft.