Ray
Bluespotted Ray
Neotrygon kuhlii
A small sandy-flat stingray dotted with bright blue spots, resting on KwaZulu-Natal sand near reef.
Also known as bluespotted, bluespotted maskray, bluespotted stingray, dasyatis kuhlii, kuhl's stingray
- Typical size
- Disc commonly 25-40 cm wide
- Habitat
- Sandy flats near reef and lagoons
- Depth
- Shallow to about 50 m
The bluespotted ray, or bluespotted maskray, is a small, oval-disc stingray, greyish-brown above and scattered with vivid blue spots, with a dark mask-like band across the eyes. It should not be confused with the bluespotted ribbontail ray, which has a rounder disc and a differently patterned tail.
It lies partly buried on sandy patches near reef along the KwaZulu-Natal coast, feeding on small crustaceans and worms it uncovers from the sediment. Like all stingrays it carries a venomous spine on the tail and will use it if trodden on or handled, so divers should give a resting ray a respectful berth. It is not a food target and is best left undisturbed.