Marine Wildlife Encyclopedia
Blue-spotted Stingray Taeniura lymma
Since it is active in the daytime, divers often see the beautifully colored blue-spotted stingray on coral reefs. It is most often spotted lying on sandy patches under coral heads and rocks. Often, its blue-striped tail sticks out and gives away its hiding place. Large, bright blue spots cover the disk, which is greenish brown. Like all stingrays, it has a venomous spine on its tail. As the tide rises, blue-spotted stingrays move in groups into shallow water to hunt for invertebrates such as mollusks, crabs, shrimp, and worms.
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- Order Rajiformes
- Length Up to 6 ft (2 m) including tail
- Weight Up to 65 lb (30 kg)
- Depth Shallow water to about 65 ft (20 m)
- Distribution Indian Ocean, western Pacific, Red Sea
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