Southern Stingrays

What they look like – Southern Stingrays

are found in Atlantic Ocean as far north as New Jersey to all the way down to off the coast of Brazil. Stingrays are cartilaginous fish meaning they have no bones, and their entire bodies are supported by cartilage just like humans noses. These beautiful rays are flat and shaped like a diamond. Their mouths are on the bottom remaining close to the sand and their eyes and

spiracle are on the top of their body.

Spiracles are used to help the stingray breathe when they are buried in the sand.

Their diamond shape helps the stingrays propel themselves over the ocean floor and

sandy bottoms. Their tail is used as a rudder for steering and in defense against predators.

Southern stingrays are whiptail stingrays, meaning they use their tail like a whip against

attackers. They also have a serrated venomous spine at the base of the tail. Stingrays are usually attacked from above and they use their tail in defense almost like a scorpion. They press up on the sea floor and throw their tail over their heads. The spines are not fatal to humans and generally the stingrays you find around the Cayman Islands are very docile and use to humans.

Size – Female southern stingrays can

grow to be more than twice size of

males. Females can reach greater than 5 feet in wingspan, while males reach just over 2 feet. Large females can weigh upwards of 200 pounds.

What they eat – Southern stingrays hunt in the sand. They use their special

magnetic sense (Ampullae of Lorenzini)

to find invertebrates and fish in the

sand. These stingrays do not really have teeth but have cartilage plates that they use to crush the shells of invertebrates. They also have the ability of suction and are known to suck a conch directly out its shell. The stingrays around Grand Cayman love squid and ballyhoo when they are being fed at the sand bar.

Are they pregnant???

Stingrays give birth to live young and can have between 2 and 10 young. Female stingrays can decide on how long they are pregnant for varying between 135 to 226

days. When you visit the sandbar, we usually find at least one pregnant female looking for some extra food and extra belly scratches.