| Bat
Ray |
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me)
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Family: |
Myliobatidae (Eagle rays) |
Genus and Species: |
Myliobatis californica |
Description: |
The bat ray has a distinct head that is
elevated above the disk. The tail is whip-like and as long or longer than
the width of the disk with the sting located just behind the body. The color
is dark brown to dark olive or almost black above and white below. This species
can be distinguished from manta rays or mobulas (that rarely occur off
California) by the absence of the arm-like projections manta rays and mobulas
have on their heads. |
Range: |
Bat rays are found from the Gulf of California
to Oregon, from surface waters to depths of 150 feet. |
Natural History: |
Bat rays feed chiefly upon mollusks and
crustaceans. In bays and sloughs they feed heavily upon clams, oysters, shrimp
and crabs. On the open coast they eat abalones and various other snails.
When feeding, they swim along the bottom until they encounter currents of
water expelled from the siphons of clams. They dig clams by suction created
by flapping their wings. The shell of the ingested clam is crushed by their
millstone like jaw teeth. Mating takes place during the summer months and
the young are born alive, apparently the following summer, when they are
12 to 14 inches in width and weigh about 2 pounds. The young are always born
tail-first with their wings rolled up over the body. They come equipped with
a stinger and can cause severe painful wounds. Females apparently weigh at
least 50 pounds and males 10 pounds before they are mature. Females of 50
to 60 pounds usually have two to four young; whereas, females of 130 to 140
pounds may have 10 or 12 young. |
Fishing Information: |
Most sportfishing for bat rays takes place
in protected bays and estuaries. Although bat rays may be taken in the open
ocean, anglers prefer to catch them in sheltered waters. Heavy tackle is
recommended since anglers often encounter large rays. Favorite baits include
shrimp, clams, crabs or even cut mackerel. |
Other Common Names: |
sting ray, eagle ray, batfish, stingaree,
bat sting ray. |
Largest Recorded: |
Width 4 feet, 9 inches; 181 pounds. |
Habitat: |
Shallow Sandy Environment |
