WHATSTHATFISH
Sharks & rays

Ribbontail Stingray

Taeniura lymma

Also known as: Bluedot Ray, Bluedot Stingray, Bluespot Stingray, Blue-spotted Fantail Ray, Blue-spotted Lagoon Ray, Blue-spotted Ray, Blue-spotted Reef Ray, Blue-spotted Reef Stingray, Blue-spotted Ribbontail Ray, Blue-spotted Ribbontail Whipray, Blue-spotted Stingray, Fantail Ray, Fantail Stingray, Lagoon Ray, Lesser Fantail Ray, Reef Ray, Ribbonray Fish, Ribbontail Ray, Ribbon-tailed Stingray

LCLeast ConcernIUCN Red List, 2026
VenomousKeep your distance
Adult
@fishx6 · Flair Point - Coral Sea, Australia · July 20091 / 20
01

Overview

Found singly or in shivers over shallow sandy areas sheltering in caves and under ledges and rocks of coral and rocky reefs. This beautiful solitary ray covered in blue spots with a blue band along the tail, often buried in sand with just the eyes showing.

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)

02

How to identify

COLOURS
Pattern
blue spots

Tap any trait to see other fish that share it.

03

Habitat & where to find it

  • Range · Indo-West Pacific
  • Exact location · 1
  • Country only · 19
LIVES IN

Found singly or in shivers over shallow sandy areas sheltering in caves and under ledges and rocks of coral and rocky reefs.

04

Adult photos 20

05

Discussion 2

Comments are checked by a moderator before they appear.

2 comments

  • Craig Morton· 1 Apr 2018

    I saw one of these while I was snorkeling in Jamaica. It was beautiful and wasn't frightened at all by my presence. I watched it swim around eating from the bottom for about 5 minutes, my other family members were watching from above water on a dock. We couldn't believe it was so close to shore.

    Helpful
ALL STAGES
FOR THE MARINE-BIOLOGY CURIOUS

Deep dive

Taxonomy

  1. kingdomAnimalia
  2. phylumChordata
  3. classElasmobranchii
  4. orderMyliobatiformes
  5. familyDasyatidae
  6. genusTaeniura
  7. speciesTaeniura lymma (Fabricius, 1775)

SourcesWoRMSFishBase

06

More in the family

Stingrays (Dasyatidae)