SPOTTED EAGLE RAY Aetobatus narinari BY ERIN HINES

Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Elasmobranchii Order: Myliobatiformes Family: Myliobatidae Genus: Aetobatus Species: Aetobatus narinari

LENGTH AND MASS Length including the tail is 16.4 ft. The max disc is 10 ft Max weight is 507 pounds

LOCATION Found in tropical warm waters worldwide in bays and coastal reefs going as deep as 200 ft. Schools in open water for long distances swimming near the surface Site fidelity rays

FOOD Clams, oysters, shrimp, octopus, squid, sea urchins and bony fish Use shovel-shaped snout and duck-like bill to get prey in hiding spots Crush prey with plate-like teeth to separate the shell from the flesh and only eat the flesh

FACTS Very social Have one of the largest brain-to-body weight ratios of any fish Are the only members of their family to have multiple spines on the tail

HUMAN IMPACT Near-threatened species A good game fish because they put up a good fight, but they are not eaten - just used for fishmeal and oil Fishing grounds are often found in their hunting grounds, so they get caught in nets