Taxonomy
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Chondrichthyes
- Order
- Rajiformes
- Family
- Rajidae
- Genus
- Raja
- Species
- montagui
Habitat
Spotted rays prefer sandy or muddy seabeds in coastal waters, typically from shallow intertidal zones to depths of about 200 meters. They are commonly found in the Northeast Atlantic, including the UK, Mediterranean Sea, and Black Sea areas.
Diet
They primarily consume bottom-dwelling invertebrates such as polychaete worms, crabs, and molluscs. Spotted rays are nocturnal feeders, using their electroreceptors to detect and ambush buried prey on the seafloor.
Behavior
Spotted rays are solitary and benthic, often burying themselves in sand during the day to avoid predators and emerging at night to hunt. They exhibit territorial behavior around feeding grounds and can be quick to flee when disturbed.
Conservation Status
Listed as Least Conecrn by IUCN.