1. SPOTTED EAGLE RAY Aetobatus narinari
BY ERIN HINES

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

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

4. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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