Round Stingray

Common Name: Round Stingray

Scientific Name: Urolophus halleri

Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family: Animalia, Chordata, Chondrichthyes, Rajiformes, Urotrygonidae

Diet: Polychaetes, bivalves, crustaceans, fish, anemones, and sea cucumbers

Habitat: Inshore, coastal waters, sand and mud bottoms, eelgrass beds

Range: Humboldt Bay, California to Ecuador, including the Gulf of California

Identification: Rounded body, brown/grey/black with light colored spotting on back

Reproduction: Viviparous (giving birth to live young), 2-12 young, reproductive age is 7-10 years

Behavior: Can form large, dense aggregations; use tail spine for defense and shed then regrow spine

Predators: Giant sea bass, northern elephant seals, and California sea lions