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eagle ray
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spotted eagle ray
Getting up close to wild stingrays and sharks
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spotted eagle ray
spotted eagle ray Spotted eagle ray (Aetobatus narinari).

eagle ray

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Also known as: Myliobatidae, myliobatoid ray
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Getting up close to wild stingrays and sharks
Getting up close to wild stingrays and sharksLearn about tiger sharks and various types of rays, including the spotted eagle ray, the manta ray, and the stingray.
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eagle ray, any of about two dozen species of exclusively marine rays constituting the family Myliobatidae (order Rajiformes), occurring in the major oceans. They have the enlarged, winglike pectoral fins characteristic of the order. Some species have a sharp-edged serrated spine at the base of the long, whiplike tail. Their teeth are flat, for crushing and grinding mollusks and crustaceans. Although they are bottom feeders, eagle rays frequently swim near the ocean’s surface, occasionally jumping high out of the water in spectacular displays. The spotted eagle ray (Aetobatus narinari) has a wingspan of up to 2.1 metres (7 feet).

This article was most recently revised and updated by Amy Tikkanen.