Spotted Eagle Ray
Aetobatus narinari · ee-TOH-ba-tus nar-ih-NAR-ee
diurnalschoolsEndangered
EdibleUnfriendlyDangerousVenomous
Superpower
Crushes hard clam shells with flat plated teeth, then spits out the fragments.
At a glance
- Size
- typically 180 cm, up to 330 cm
- Lifespan
- 20–25 years
- Depth
- 1–80 m
Habitat
Open water over reefs, bays and sandy flats.
Diet
Clams, oysters, snails and crustaceans, crushed with plate-like teeth.
Can I eat it?
Yes — edible · tastiness 3/10.
How to cook: Occasionally eaten, but threatened and best protected.
Safety
- Dangerous3/10
Not aggressive; can injure with its tail spines if handled.
- Venomous5/10
Several venomous barbs at the base of the tail.
Fun facts
- It can leap clear out of the water in spectacular jumps.
- Its flat teeth work like a nutcracker on shellfish.
- Spotted eagle rays often glide in formation like a squadron.