# bat ray (*Myliobatis californica*) Bat rays are flat, wing-like fish that glide gracefully through the water. They have a special nose that helps them find food buried in the sand, like clams and crabs. - **Category:** [Fish](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/fish) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Snaps:** 3 - **Habitat:** Coastal areas - **Also known as:** California Bat Ray ![bat ray](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Bat-ray-NOAA-Tony-Chess.jpg&width=800) Photo: Tony Chess, Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bat-ray-NOAA-Tony-Chess.jpg) ## Appearance The bat ray has a broad, diamond-shaped body with a distinct, protruding head and large pectoral fins that resemble wings. It is typically dark brown to black on top, contrasting with a white belly. Its long, whip-like tail has a venomous spine near its base. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Elasmobranchii - **Order:** Myliobatiformes - **Family:** Myliobatidae - **Genus:** Myliobatis ## Interesting facts - Bat rays can launch themselves completely out of the water! - Each bat ray has unique spot patterns on its underside, like a fingerprint! - Female bat rays give birth to live pups, not laying eggs like many fish. - They often swim in large, graceful schools like underwater squadrons. ## Special abilities - **Hidden Prey Finder:** Bat rays can find hidden prey by sensing weak electrical fields because of special pores on their snouts. - **Venomous Defender:** Bat rays have a sharp, venomous spine on their tail that helps them defend against predators if threatened. - **Shell Crusher:** Bat rays can crush hard-shelled prey like clams and crabs because of their strong jaws and flat, plate-like teeth. - **Seabed Camouflage:** Bat rays can dig into sandy seabeds using their disc fins to hide from predators or uncover buried food. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 30-180 cm - **Weight:** 1-90 kg - **Lifespan:** 1-23 years - **Swim Speed:** 20 km/h - **Maximum Depth:** 90 m - **Water Type:** Saltwater ## Diet & Feeding Bat rays are hungry hunters that use their strong mouths to crush shellfish and crabs from the seafloor. - **Primary Foods:** clams, oysters, crabs, shrimp, worms, small fish - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Great White Shark](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-white-shark) (*Carcharodon carcharias*) — Juvenile bat rays are prey for large sharks. - **Eaten by:** [Leopard Shark](https://www.snappit.app/explore/leopard-shark) (*Triakis semifasciata*) — Leopard sharks prey on smaller bat rays. - **Eats:** Butter Clam (*Saxidomus giganteus*) — Bat rays crush and eat this common clam species. - **Eats:** [Dungeness Crab](https://www.snappit.app/explore/dungeness-crab) (*Metacarcinus magister*) — Bat rays use their strong jaws to feed on crabs. ## Traits - [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care. - [Gliding](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/gliding): Gliding animals move through the air by launching themselves and maintaining flight with specialized body structures, without flapping wings. - [Ambush Predator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ambush-predator): An ambush predator hunts by patiently waiting and concealing itself, then launching a sudden attack when unsuspecting prey comes within range. - [Longevous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/longevous): This trait characterizes organisms with an exceptionally long lifespan compared to others of their kind. - [Spiky/Thorny](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spiky-thorny): Possessing sharp, pointed projections or spines on the body or surface. - [Coastal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/coastal): Coastal habitats are dynamic environments located along the interface between land and sea, influenced by tides, waves, and saltwater. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. - [Giant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/giant): Giant describes organisms or objects of significantly larger size than average for their species or type. - [Marine](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/marine): Marine habitats encompass all saltwater environments of the Earth's oceans, supporting an immense diversity of aquatic life. ## Collections - [Fish](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/fish) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low If you see a bat ray at the beach, watch from a distance and don’t touch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify bat ray? Look at body shape, where the fins sit and their outline, mouth position, stripes and spots. Young fish and breeding adults can wear different patterns, and aquarium color varieties can look nothing like wild fish. Fish Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is bat ray? 30-180 cm ### How much does bat ray weigh? 1-90 kg ### How long does bat ray live? 1-23 years ### What does bat ray eat? Bat rays are hungry hunters that use their strong mouths to crush shellfish and crabs from the seafloor. ### How fast can bat ray swim? 20 km/h ### Where is bat ray usually found? Coastal areas ### How does bat ray hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [Atchison Village](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/atchison-village) — California, US · Neighborhood - [SeaWorld San Diego](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/seaworld-san-diego) — California, US · Aquarium - [Oregon Coast Aquarium](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/oregon-coast-aquarium) — Oregon, US · Aquarium - [Monterey Bay Aquarium](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/monterey-bay-aquarium-california) — California, US · Aquarium - [Monterey Bay Aquarium](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/monterey-bay-aquarium) — California, US · Zoo - [SeaWorld San Diego](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/seaworld-san-diego-california) — California, US · Zoo [View all places to see bat ray](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/bat-ray) ## More Fish - [Rainbow Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/rainbow-trout) (*Oncorhynchus mykiss*) - [Brown Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-trout) (*Salmo trutta*) - [Brook Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brook-trout) (*Salvelinus fontinalis*) - [Lake Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/lake-trout) (*Salvelinus namaycush*) --- Source: [Bat Ray: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/bat-ray)