Animal Spotlight
Cownose Stingray
Rhinoptera bonasus
Rays Up Close
Cownose stingrays are easy to spot with their uniquely shaped, rounded heads and long, wing-like fins. This species of ray is a foraging predator with a diet largely consisting of invertebrates including clams and crabs.
Cownose rays use their mouths to suck in food items and their crushing tooth plates to crack the hard shells of their prey. They travel in large groups called a “fever,” and are sometimes seen migrating across the ocean in huge schools.
Habitat
Shallow, tropical to temperate waters in the western Atlantic Ocean
Diet
Hard-shelled invertebrates
Predators
Large fish and sharks
Conservation Status
Near threatened
Phylum
Chordata
Meet the Neighbors
Cownose stingrays share their habitat with an array of other species, from brightly colored angelfish to the graceful ribbontail ray.
Blue Angelfish
Colorful and bold, blue angelfish add beauty to ocean habitats.
Bluespotted Ribbontail Ray
With vivid blue markings, this ray glides gracefully across the sand.
Ready to Visit?
Touch cownose stingrays and vibe with angelfish, a bluespotted ribbontail ray, and more.