Ornate Eagle Ray

About the Ornate Eagle Ray

The ornate eagle ray or reticulate eagle ray (Aetomylaeus vespertilio) is a species of large stingray of the family Myliobatidae. Like other rays, the ornate eagle ray is ovoviviparous. Aetomylaeus vespertilio is estimated to have a low fecundity similar to other myliobatids. It has a generation length of 15 years, and can grow as old as 24 years. It is a predatory cartilaginous fish, preying mostly on small invertebrates, polychaete worms, and some echinoderms. It has earned the nickname "unicorn of the sea" due to how rarely it is spotted in the wild.

Aetomylaeus vespertilio has a maximum size of around 240 cm (94 in) in disc width and a clearly distinct pattern of reticulate dark lines and rings on its back. If the extremely long tail is unbroken, it can considerably add to the maximum body length of 4 m (13 ft). Lacking a spine on the tail, it is deemed harmless to humans.

Aetomylaeus vespertilio lives in waters up to 110 m (360 ft) deep along the coasts of Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Maldives, Mozambique, Palau, Philippines, Seychelles, South Africa, Taiwan, and Thailand. Despite its wide range, it is rarely observed, and has... Wikipedia →