Common stingray
Dasyatis pastinaca
Sighting evidence at Los Jameos del Agua Reef, Lanzarote
Photo: Luis P. B. · CC BY-NC
The common stingray is an ambush predator that half-buries itself in sandy patches between reef structures, camouflaged by a layer of settled sediment. It detects buried prey using electroreceptive ampullae of Lorenzini on the underside of its disc. Although the venomous tail spine is defensive rather than offensive, accidental contact by divers landing on camouflaged individuals accounts for most recorded stings.
Evidence at this site
No confirmed records on file at this site
Common stingray is listed as a curated species here based on historical reports.