Spotted Eagle Ray
Aetobatus narinari
Sighting evidence at The Cathedral, Rodrigues Island
Photo: michel candel · CC BY-NC-SA
Spotted eagle rays cruise gracefully over the sandy plain outside The Cathedral, using their extraordinary electroreceptive ampullae to detect molluscs and crustaceans buried beneath the surface. Their pectoral fins, when not fully extended for swimming, can be used to excavate the sand in search of hidden bivalves, a behaviour clearly visible from divers hovering above the sandy bottom. In the clean, unfished waters of Rodrigues they appear in pairs and small groups on virtually every dive.
Evidence at this site
No confirmed records on file at this site
Spotted Eagle Ray is listed as a curated species here based on historical reports.