Spotted eagle ray

Photo: Thomas Menut · CC BY-NC

Spotted eagle rays cruise the sandy channels between coral heads at Anses d'Arlet in small groups, using their distinctive flat rostrum to excavate clams, conch, and other buried molluscs. Their spotted white-on-black dorsal patterning is individual-specific, allowing researchers to track movements between sites. Despite their size — wingspans commonly reach 2 metres — they are graceful and fast, often seen leaping completely clear of the water surface in behaviour that may relate to courtship, parasite removal, or communication.