Spotted eagle ray

Photo: Dan Schofield · CC BY

Spotted eagle rays are graceful elasmobranch residents of Grand Cayman's north shore, identifiable by their white-spotted indigo dorsal surface and distinctively flattened, duck-billed snout adapted for excavating molluscs and crustaceans from sandy substrates. They are commonly seen gliding in formation along the wall top at Grand Cayman, often in groups of three to eight individuals. Despite their elegant appearance they can reach 3 metres across and deliver a powerful barb if threatened.