Rays: Devil Ray, Spotted Eagle Ray, Giant Manta, Blue-spotted Stingray

Devil Ray

Size: Disc to 305cm. (10ft.)

ID: Blackish back rhomboidal disc with graceful pectoral "wings", pair of flaps protruding on either side of mouth; similar to Giant Manta. but mouth on underside instead of front of head. Solitary or groups. Open water of lagoons and outer reefs.

Devil Ray lives Indo-Pacific: Tropical Indo-Pacific and E. Atlantic Oceans.

Spotted Eagle Ray

Size: Disc to 350cm. (11.5ft.)

ID: Gray-brown to nearly black with numerous white spots and white underside; nearly triangular disc or "wings" with protruding head and long slender tail with single spine. Solitary. Open water of coastal, lagoon and outer reefs in 1 - 80 m. Circumglobal: Tropical and warm temperate seas.

Giant Manta

Size: Disc to 670cm. (22ft.)

ID: Blackish, occasionally with some pale or dark patches and white underside (rarely black); large triangular "wings" and protruding snout with mouth on front of head and pair of movable flaps extending from either side, short tail. Solitary or form groups in open water to 24m. Giant Manta -Circumtropical.

Blue-spotted Stingray

Size: Disc to 50cm. (20in.)

ID: Brown to olive with blue spots and small black spots; short pointed snout and sharply rounded "wings"; tapering tail as long or longer than diameter of disc and marked with white bars. Solitary. Rest on sand of lagoons and seaward reefs to 90 m. Indo-Asian Pacific: E. Africa to Australia and Micronesia, north to Japan.

Coffin Ray

Size: 60 cm. (2ft.)

ID: Brown to gray: large disc followed by a much smaller secondary disc (formed by merged ventral fins) supports a very small tail and pair of tiny dorsal fins. Produces electric shock. Solitary. Rest on sand and mud of coastal waters in 1-220 m. Localized: Australia only, primarily in temperate and subtropical seas.

Blue-spotted Ribbontail Ray

Size: Disc to 90cm. (3ft.)

ID: Yellow-brown with numerous blue spots; oval-shaped disc, flattened ribbon-like tail about 1.5 times disc width with 2 spines. Solitary. Rest on sand bottoms, under ledges or in reef holes of coastal, lagoon and outer slopes in 1-20 m. Indo- Asian Pacific: E. Afnca and Red Sea to Australia and New Guinea, north to Philippines.

Black-blotched Stingray

Size: Disc to 164cm. (5.5ft.)

ID: Gray with variable pattern of dense black spots, blotches and mottling; large ovate disc, short tail about same length as disc with single spine. Solitary, rest on sand bottoms of coastal, lagoon and near outer reefs in 2-500 m. Indo - Pacific: E. Africa and Red Sea to Australia and E. Pacific, north to S. Japan.

Cowtail Stingray

Size: Disc to 180cm. (6ft.)

ID: Uniform dark brown to black; rounded snout and "wing" tips, broad fleshy tail with single spine and flattened tip. Solitary. Rest on sand of estuaries, coastal sand flats and near coral reefs to 60 m.

Indo - Asian Pacific: E. Africa and Red Sea to Australia, north to Philippines and Taiwan.

Whitetail Stingray

Size: Disc to 100cm. (3.25ft.)

ID: Dark slate gray, often with scattered white spots and pale borders on disc; stingers (usually 2) and tail behind white.

Solitary. On sand bottoms of lagoons, bays and protected areas around shallow reefs

Indo-Asian Pacific: Seychelles to N.W. Australia and Great Barrier Reef.

Tahitian Stingray

Size: Disc to 100cm. (3.25ft.)

ID: Light gray to pinkish brown, occasionally blotched or mottled; snout bluntly pointed, rounded "wings" and long tapering tail can be nearly 3 times disc diameter. Solitary or form aggregations. Sand and rubble of lagoons to 20 m. Indo- Pacific: India to Thailand and Society Is. in French Polynesia.

Thorny Stingray

Size: Disc to 100cm. (3.25ft.)

ID: Pale gray to dark brown with numerous thorns on surface; scattering of white spots; ovate disc with humped central portion, tail about equal to disc length. Solitary, often partially buried in sand. Coastal, lagoon and outer reefs to 130 m. Indo • West Pacific: Red Sea and E. Africa to Fiji. - Philippines to Australia.

Javanese Cownose Ray

Size: Disc to 150cm. (5ft.)

ID: Brown with white underside; nearly triangular disc or "wings" with protruding head and short slender tail about equal to disc length with single spine. Solitary or form groups. Open coastal waters in 1-50 m. Indo-Asian Pacific: E. Africa to Indonesia and Philippines, north to S. Japan.