Species Type:
Fishes, Sharks & Rays
Common Name(s):
Atlantic stingray
Size:
Male Atlantic stingrays will grow to be around 2-3 feet (0.61-0.91 meters) wide, while females can get as big as 4 feet (1.23 meters) across. These rays weigh around 5 pounds (2.27 kilograms).
Diet:
Finding solace on the seafloor, Atlantic stingrays eat small benthic creatures such as aquatic invertebrates, worms, crustaceans, shrimp, mollusks and small fish.
Range & Habitat:
The Atlantic stingray can be found in the western Atlantic Ocean, hence its name. Inhabiting freshwater and low salinity aquatic habitats throughout North America and its east coast, these rays like a warmer coastal waters, river, lakes, and estuaries.
Details:
Atlantic stingrays prefer to live in brackish or freshwater environments, burying themselves under silt and sand of estuaries, rivers and lakes. With eyes atop their heads, these rays can see their surroundings while remaining hidden from predators in the sand. Although many think these creatures are scary and hostile, Atlantic stingrays aren’t aggressive and will typically leave you alone unless they feel threatened. These rays are listed at Least Concern on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species.