Taxonomy
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Chondrichthyes
- Order
- Myliobatiformes
- Family
- Dasyatidae
- Genus
- Dasyatis
- Species
- margarita
Habitat
Daisy stingrays inhabit shallow coastal waters of the eastern Atlantic Ocean, from Senegal to Angola, often over sandy or muddy substrates in depths up to 50 meters. They prefer areas near river mouths and estuaries where prey is abundant.
Diet
They primarily feed on benthic invertebrates such as crabs, shrimp, and worms, using their pectoral fins to uncover and manipulate prey on the ocean floor. Feeding typically occurs at night when they are more active, hunting by detecting vibrations and electrical signals from buried prey.
Behavior
Daisy stingrays are mostly solitary and benthic, spending much of the day buried in sand to avoid predators and emerging at night to feed. They exhibit territorial behavior around feeding areas and can deliver a painful sting if threatened, but they generally avoid confrontation. They are not migratory but may move in response to seasonal changes in water temperature.
Conservation Status
Listed as Not Evaluated by IUCN.