Southern stingray

Photo: spirula · CC BY-NC

Southern stingrays are the most abundant elasmobranch in Pollard Bay's sandy channels, hovering just above the substrate with characteristic wingtip undulations as they scan for buried worms, clams, and crustaceans using electro-receptive ampullae of Lorenzini. They are a keystone bioturbation species whose excavation pits are immediately colonised by opportunistic feeders including yellowhead jawfish, diamond blennies, and various crabs. Unlike at commercial feeding sites, Pollard Bay's rays are wild-behaving and provide behavioural observations not available at managed encounters.