Blue-spotted ribbontail ray

How it lives

This small reef ray lives in shallow water, mostly in the top 20 m, and is sometimes found deeper. By day it often hides in caves and under ledges, and it is rarely buried in the sand. On the rising tide, small groups move onto shallow sand to feed. Females give birth to live young, up to 7 pups, already with blue spots.

Where it goes

Groups move into shallow sandy areas to feed as the tide rises, then spread out on the falling tide to shelter in caves and under ledges. No long-distance migration is known, only these local tidal moves.

We only draw a journey on the map when scientists have tracked it or clearly documented it. For this animal we have not found one yet.

Populations

Found widely on reefs and sand across the Indo-West Pacific. Along the coast of Tanzania there are small genetic differences between sites, but no regional colour forms or subspecies are known.