# Blue Spotted Stingray (*Dasyatis kuhlii*) Blue Spotted Stingrays are known for their bright blue spots! They are small and love to stay close to the ocean floor. - **Category:** [Fish](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/fish) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Habitat:** Coral reefs - **Also known as:** Blue Spotted Ray, Kuhl's Stingray ![Blue Spotted Stingray](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771426037/objects/4728.jpg) ## Appearance The Blue Spotted Stingray has a flat, oval-shaped disc, typically yellow-brown, covered in striking bright blue spots. Its long tail bears a dark band and usually two venomous spines, making it visually distinct from most other rays. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Elasmobranchii - **Order:** Myliobatiformes - **Family:** Dasyatidae - **Genus:** Neotrygon ## Interesting facts - Even though they live in the ocean, stingrays are closely related to sharks! - Their blue spots are like fingerprints; no two stingrays have the exact same pattern! - They breathe by sucking water through holes behind their eyes, not their mouths! - They have eyes on top of their head, but their mouth is on their underside! ## Special abilities - **Venomous Protector:** Blue Spotted Stingray has two sharp, venomous spines on its tail that help them defend against predators. - **Super Camouflage:** Blue Spotted Stingray can bury itself under sand, using its flattened body to blend in perfectly with the seafloor. - **Electric Sensor:** Blue Spotted Stingray has special electroreceptors that help them detect tiny prey hidden under the sand. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 25-70 cm - **Weight:** 0.5-1.5 kg - **Lifespan:** 10-15 years - **Swim Speed:** 5 km/h - **Maximum Depth:** 90 m - **Water Type:** Saltwater ## Diet & Feeding These small hunters use clever senses to find delicious crustaceans and worms buried in the sand. - **Primary Foods:** shrimp, crabs, marine worms, small bony fish, clams - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Tiger Shark](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tiger-shark) (*Galeocerdo cuvier*) — Larger sharks prey on stingrays. - **Eaten by:** Grey Reef Shark (*Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos*) — Sharks are a natural predator. - **Hunts:** Tiger Prawn (*Penaeus monodon*) — Actively searches for crustaceans. - **Hunts:** Peanut Worm (*Sipuncula nudus*) — Digs for worms in sand. ## Traits - [Wildlife](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wildlife): Wildlife encompasses all undomesticated animal and plant life existing in their natural habitats. - [Spotted](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spotted): Marked with spots or patches of a different color. - [Piscivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/piscivorous): Piscivorous organisms are animals that primarily subsist on a diet of fish. - [Aquatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aquatic): Aquatic habitats encompass environments where organisms live predominantly in water, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and wetlands. - [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. - [Nocturnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nocturnal): Nocturnal animals are primarily active during the nighttime hours, typically resting or sleeping during the day. ## Collections - [Fish](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/fish) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Watch quietly from a distance and never try to feed or chase wild animals. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Blue Spotted Stingray? 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 Blue Spotted Stingray? 25-70 cm ### How much does Blue Spotted Stingray weigh? 0.5-1.5 kg ### How long does Blue Spotted Stingray live? 10-15 years ### What does Blue Spotted Stingray eat? These small hunters use clever senses to find delicious crustaceans and worms buried in the sand. ### How fast can Blue Spotted Stingray swim? 5 km/h ### Where is Blue Spotted Stingray usually found? Coral reefs ### How does Blue Spotted Stingray hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [Detroit Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/detroit-zoo) — Michigan, US · Zoo - [Fresno Chaffee Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/fresno-chaffee-zoo) — California, US · Zoo - [Long Island Aquarium and Exhibition Center](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/long-island-aquarium-and-exhibition-center-new-york) — New York, US · Zoo - [Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/point-defiance-zoo-and-aquarium) — Washington, US · Zoo - [Shedd Aquarium](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/shedd-aquarium-illinois) — Illinois, US · Zoo - [The Living Planet Aquarium](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/the-living-planet-aquarium) — Utah, US · Zoo [View all places to see Blue Spotted Stingray](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/blue-spotted-stingray) ## 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: [Blue Spotted Stingray: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-spotted-stingray)