- Aquarium of the Pacific
- oOne of our round rays in the Ray Touch Pool
The round stingray is probably the most numerous of the rays in its distribution area and is the most likely to be involved with stingray injuries to waders and swimmers. The genus name, Urobatis, is based on two Greek words,
Facts and Features
- Geographic Distribution
eastern Pacific from Humboldt Bay in northern California south to the Gulf of California and Panama City, Panama. Most abundant in southern California and northern Baja California, Mexico
- Amazing Facts
A practical technique to avoid being stung when entering ocean waters where there is known to be congregations of stingrays is for waders to perform the “sting ray shuffle”, that is, to keep the feet flat on the bottom and shuffle along. If contact is made with a ray it will most likely swim off very rapidly. Generally not life threatening, a stingray wound can be serious and in extreme cases can cause a variety of systemic symptoms and complications
- At the Aquarium
Our round stingrays get manicures periodically. The aquarists trim their spine just like humans trim their fingernails but they use much heavier clippers.
The diet of our rays is usually diced shrimp. Occasionally they also get capelin (a small smelt-like fish), clams, and squid.