Types of Ray Fish

There are over 600 species of ray swimming across the oceans. It is tough to differentiate them. Most of the rays have flat disc-like bodies and a long whip-like tail withy their eyes on the top of their heads and their mouths and gills on their bellies.

Let’s look at the 10 listed different types of rays.

• Oceanic Manta Ray

The Oceanic Manta Ray is the largest species of rays found in the world. They can grow at least 23ft from one wingtip to another wingtip and can weigh up to 4000pounds. They live approximately 400ft deep in the warm tropical waters across the world.

Each Ocean Manta Ray has its unique pattern of markings on their backs in large black and white. The main distinguishing feature of these giant marine animals is their horns located either side of their huge mouths, which are used to funnel planktons.

Ocean Manta Rays have a lifespan of about 15-20 years and are usually hunted by Sharks and Killer Whales.

• Reef Manta Ray

The Reef Manta Ray is the second largest species of rays in the world. They can grow their wings up to 14ft approximately. They are often referred to as ‘Birds of the Sea’ because their two triangular pectoral fins look like wings of a bird. They have a small dorsal fin on their upper body, which can be mistaken for a dolphin or a shark from the surface of the ocean.

Reef Manta Ray are commonly of black or dark grey colour with a white underside. Like Ocean Manta, Reef Manta Rays also feed on planktons.

These rays are a vulnerable species found in the tropical waters of the Indian, Pacific and Atlantic Oceans around islands and atolls.

• Spotted Eagle Ray

The Spotted Eagle Rays are beautiful creatures with a unique pattern of white spots on their dark blue upper bodies, which swim near the surfaces in large groups. They can approximately grow up to 10ft wide. They can be easily distinguishable because of their long, board snout and friendly faces.

Eagle Rays have a plate-like mouth that allows them to prey their favourite foods like molluscs, crustaceans, and worms. They are found in the warm and temperate waters. They can swim long distances across open water to migrate seasonally with their strong swimming ability.

• Devil Ray

The Devil Ray species are widespread around the Mediterranean and the eastern Atlantic to the Indian Ocean and western Pacific.

Devil Rays and Reef Manta are often mistaken for one another because of their similar shape, colour, and size. But looked on very carefully, the Devil Ray is more pointer than Manta. Devil Rays’ are narrower and their cephalic fins or horns pointing forward while the Manta Rays have curled around their mouths.

Devil Rays are fantastic divers and are one of the fastest marine species in the world. They are also great acrobats as they often flip and jump out of the water.

Despite their name, the Devil Rays are a shy creature which feeds on planktons and krill.

• Blue Spotted Sting Ray

The Blue Spotted Sting Ray is relatively smaller in size with about an average disc size of around 12”. They are also known as Ribbontail Ray. They are found in the tropical waters throughout the Indo-Pacific region.

Blue Spotted Sting Ray has a flattened body with a light mustard colour and bright blue spots. Due to their attractive colours, they are often collected in the aquariums.

These rays are shy around humans and swim away in the presence of any divers. They have two venomous spines covered with their long tails, that can give off a painful sting.

They feed on molluscs, crustaceans and small fish found on coral reefs.

• Pelagic String Ray

The Pelagic String Rays look like any average ray fish and are found flying around the open ocean. Like Manta and Eagle, the Pelagic prefer temperate waters and swim across the world.

Their wingspan can be from 2ft to 4ft. But their whip-like stringing tail is double the length of their bodies. They have a wedge-shaped disc of deep purple or dark blue colour with particularly small eyes.

Pelagic String Rays feed on krill, eat jellyfish, squid and small fish. With their pectoral fins, Pelagic String Rays can directly prey into their mouth by using their sharp and pointed teeth.

• Electric Ray

This type of rays can produce an electric shock from two-shaped electronic organs on their back. They only have a few natural predators because of their electronic shock mechanism. They can produce between 8 to 220 volts of electricity.

Electric Ray is found near muddy or sandy seafloor where it hides. They are known to be aggressive and even chase divers. Their most potent shock can unconscious a human.

Electric Ray can grow up to a length of 1 to 6ft. They have smooth skin with a circular body and have a shorter and thicker tail. Even the tail has three pectoral fins to stand upright. They have tiny eyes and depend on their electroreceptors to detect preys like Halibut, Herrings, and Worms.

• Southern String Ray

The Southern String Rays are found in the subtropical waters of the Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean and in the Cayman Islands. Unlike other rays, Southern Rat Fish are not scared of people and curiously swim right up to the humans.

They have flat diamond-shaped bodies with a dark brown or grey upper body. They grow from 2ft to 4ft and have sharp tails of twice their length. They are famous for their poisonous tail.

Southern String Ray remain buried in the sand to hunt preys like shellfish, shrimp and crabs.

• Butterfly Ray

This beautiful ray species is mostly found in the warm coastal waters and often buried in the muddy seabeds of bays.

Just like a butterfly, they also have the shape of a flat disc, wider than its length. Their wingspan is about 4.5ft with attractive patterns of white and dark swirls and dots over a grey or dark green base. They have a small non-venomous tail.

They feed on invertebrates and small fish.

• Shark Ray

The Shark Ray is officially known as the Bowmouth Guitarfish. They are found on the muddy seabeds around the Indian Ocean and Western Pacific.

Their colour fades as they grow old from very dark to light brown or taupe colour with pretty white spots. They can grow up to 9ft.

They have pectoral fins and nape covered with tiny sharp thorns used for protection. They use their strong ridged teeth for hunting preys like lobster and shrimp.