What makes the spotted eagle ray unique?
Species: Eagle Rays A spotted eagle ray’s pattern is unique to each individual, just like a fingerprint. Female spotted eagle rays are larger than males, with wingspans matching the tallest NBA players. Eagle rays feed predominantly on hard-shelled, bottom-living clams, snails and hermit crabs.
What color is a spotted eagle ray?
Spotted eagle ray has a distinctive pattern of small whitish spots across the back, which is black, dark gray or bluish in color. The ventral surface is white.
What is a spotted eagle ray classified as?
Cartilaginous fishesSpotted eagle ray / ClassChondrichthyes is a class that contains the cartilaginous fishes that have skeletons primarily composed of cartilage. They can be contrasted with the Osteichthyes or bony fishes, which have skeletons primarily composed of bone tissue. Wikipedia
Why do spotted eagle rays jump?
The rays are protected in Florida waters and are typically seen swimming on the water’s surface. “Rays jump to escape a predator, give birth and shake off parasites,” said Lynn Gear, supervisor of fishes and reptiles at Theater of the Sea in Islamorada.
How do spotted eagle rays protect themselves?
Spotted eagle rays have venomous spines on their tails that are used in defense against threats. 5. Spotted eagle rays have plate-like teeth used to crush their preferred prey, including clams, oysters, sea urchins and shrimp.
What do eagle rays look like?
Description and behavior. Spotted eagle rays have flat disk-shaped bodies, deep blue or black with white spots on top with a white underbelly, and distinctive flat snouts similar to a duck’s bill. Their tails are longer than those of other rays and may have 2–6 venomous spines, just behind the pelvic fins.
How do spotted eagle rays breathe?
Spotted Eagle Rays have two sets of five gills on each side of their body on the ventral side. In order to breathe, A. narinari must be in continuous swimming motion so that oxygen can be absorbed from the water passing through the gills (Maui Ocean Center 2014).
Where are spotted eagle rays found?
The spotted eagle ray is distributed worldwide in tropical and warm temperate waters. In the western Atlantic Ocean, it is found in waters off North Carolina and Florida (U.S.), Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean and Bermuda south to Brazil. This ray can be found from Mauritania to Angola in the eastern Atlantic Ocean.
Why is the spotted eagle ray endangered?
This low reproductive potential, along with their natural rarity, contributes to experts considering spotted eagle rays as ‘near threatened’ with extinction. This species is not directly targeted by commercial fisheries, but it is captured as accidental bycatch in fisheries targeting other species.
How smart are eagle rays?
For the most part, spotted eagle rays are shy, gentle creatures that pose no significant threat to humans. The intelligent, curious animals are popular with snorkelers.