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White-spotted Eagle Ray
Aetobatus narinari (Euphrasen, 1790)

A White-spotted Eagle Ray at a depth of 20 m at Julian Rocks, Byron Bay, New South Wales. Photo © T. Hochgrebe. View larger image.

Segments of a tooth plate from the lower jaw of an eagle ray. The v-shaped bones were collected by a diver at a depth of 12 m, Julian Rocks, Byron Bay, New South Wales, 2006. Photo © J. Corlass NSW Marine Parks Authority. View larger image. View image of other side of segments.

The White-spotted Eagle Ray has an angular shaped disc with white spots on the upper surface. The snout can vary in shape from spade-like in juveniles to pointed in large individuals (P. Last, CSIRO. pers. comm.). The whip-like tail has 2-6 spines.

This species grows to at least 3.5 m disc width and 8.8 m total length.

The White-spotted Eagle Ray occurs worldwide in tropical, coastal waters.

In Australia it is known from central coast of Western Australia, around the tropical north of the country and south to the central coast of New South Wales.

View a map of the collecting localities of specimens in the Australian Museum Fish Collection.

Current research on this species may reveal that what is currently being called the White-spotted Eagle Ray may in fact be several species.

Related Links

• Southern Eagle Ray fact sheet
• View illustration of tooth plate from Whitley, 1940.
• View low resolution movie clips 47k (wmv) and 111k (mov).
• Go to the movies page for high and low resolution versions.
• View the Family Myliobatidae list
• View the Rays list

Further Reading

1. Allen, G.R. 1997. Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia and South-east Asia. Western Australian Museum. Pp. 292.
2. Allen, G.R. & R. Swainston. 1988. The Marine Fishes of North-Western Australia. A Field Guide for Anglers and Divers. Western Australian Museum. Pp. 201.
3. Hoese, D.F., Bray, D.J., Paxton, J.R. & G.R. Allen. 2006. Fishes. In Beesley, P.L. & A. Wells. (eds) Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Volume 35. ABRS & CSIRO Publishing: Australia. parts 1-3, pages 1-2178.
4. Johnson, J.W. and Couper, P.J. 1998. Flotsam (p. 20-21). in Davie, P. (Ed). Wild Guide to Moreton Bay.  Wildlife and Habitats of a beautiful Australian Coast – Noosa to the Tweed. Queensland Museum . Pp. 408.
5. Last, P.R. in Gomon, M.F., Glover, C.J.M. & R.H. Kuiter (Eds). 1994. The Fishes of Australia's South Coast. State Print, Adelaide. Pp. 992.
6. Last, P.R. & J.D. Stevens. 1994 Sharks and Rays of Australia. CSIRO. Pp. 513.
7. Myers, R.F. 1999. Micronesian Reef Fishes. Coral Graphics. Pp. 330.
8. Oh, J., Kim, S., Kim, C.-G., Soh, H.Y., Jeong, D. & Y.-H. Lee. 2006. The first record of Long Headed Eagle Ray, Aetobatus flagellum (Pisces: Myliobatidae) from Korea. Ocean Science Journal. 41(1): 53-57.
9. Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & R.C. Steene. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Crawford House Press. Pp. 557.
10. Whitley, G. P., 1940. The Fishes of Australia. Part I. The Sharks, Rays, Devilfish and other Primitive Fishes of Australia and New Zealand. Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales, Sydney. Pp. 280.