Spotted Eagle Rays
Emma Hatley
Description & Behavior
- Grows to at least 16 ft in length and 10 ft in width and has a mass of 507 lbs.
- They spend much of their time swimming in open waters, generally in schools close to the surface
- Has a long snout, flat and rounded like a duck's bill, and a thick head.
- It's jaws are usually a single row of flat, V shaped teeth.
- They have numerous white spots and a long whip-like tail.
World Population & Habitat
- Found in warm and temperate waters worldwide.
- Commonly seen in bays and reefs.
- They sometimes enter estuaries.
Diet
- bivalves, crabs, whelks, benthic infauna.
- mollusks, crustaceans, particularly malacostracans.
- hermit crabs, shrimp, octopi, and some small fish.
Conservation Status
- Included in the IUNC's Red List as "near threatened".
- Caught mostly in Southeast Asia and Africa.
- There have been many efforts to protect this species.
Reproduction
- Make pursues female
- Mating process lasts 30-60 seconds
- Eggs hatch internally
- Female gives birth to a maximum of 4 pups
- Rays mature after 4 to 6 years