Description

Also known as African Ray, Armored Stingray, Black-spotted Ray, Porcupine Ray, Rough-skinned Ray, Roughskin Stingaree, Solanders Ray, Thorny Ray, Thorny Stingray.

Found singly, or in small fevers, sometimes buried in the sand with just the eyes showing, resting on the substrate or swimming, over coral, rubble, and sandy areas, in caves or close too reefs, of lagoons and the continental shelf.
They feed on crustaceans, fish, and worms.
Can look like the "Martians" have landed.
Length - 147cm
Depth - 15-217m
Widespread Eastern Atlantic, Indo-Pacific

Rays are bottom feeders, they settle themselves down over their prey, trapping them against the substrate with their disc, then flexing their disc flaps and manoeuvring the victims into their mouths.
Most rays live in the sea, but some can be found in estuaries, often hard to see as they can be buried in the sand, occasionally they can be seen leaping out of the water.
As a form of defence rays have electric organs while others have venomous spines.
Usually rays will swim out of harms way if approached, however they can give a nasty sting which could prove fatal.
Never swim over the top of large rays, they think you are a predator and are likely to whip their tails in defense! (as happened to Steve Irwin) Ref: https://www.fishbase.se/summary/5400