Rays & skates

280 species · 18 families

Rays are the flattened relatives of sharks, with a cartilaginous skeleton and a strongly flattened body that merges into broad, wing-like pectoral fins. They glide gracefully over the bottom or ripple through open water like flying mantas. The eyes sit on top, while the mouth and gill slits are underneath, handy for life on the seabed. Many have a long, thin tail that in some carries a venomous spine. From skate to stingray and the imposing manta, it is a fascinating, elegant group.

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Acutenose skate

Dipturus tengu

Rajidae

Aden torpedo

Torpedo adenensis

Torpedinidae

African wedgefish

Rhynchobatus luebberti

Rhinidae

Aleutian skate

Bathyraja aleutica

Arhynchobatidae

American cownose ray

Rhinoptera bonasus

Myliobatidae

American legskate

Anacanthobatis americana

Anacanthobatidae

Amoy fanray

Platyrhina sinensis

Platyrhinidae

Angel guitarfish

Rhinobatos hynnicephalus

Rhinobatidae

Antarctic starry skate

Amblyraja georgiana

Rajidae

Apron ray

Discopyge tschudii

Narcinidae

Argentine torpedo

Tetronarce puelcha

Torpedinidae

Atlantic devil ray

Mobula hypostoma

Myliobatidae

Atlantic electric ray

Tetronarce nobiliana

Torpedinidae

Atlantic guitarfish

Pseudobatos lentiginosus

Rhinobatidae

Atlantic Stingray

Hypanus sabinus

Dasyatidae

Austral ray

Bathyraja griseocauda

Arhynchobatidae

Australian bull ray

Myliobatis australis

Myliobatidae

Australian cownose ray

Rhinoptera neglecta

Myliobatidae

Australian thornback skate

Dentiraja lemprieri

Rajidae

Banana-tail ray

Pastinachus sephen

Dasyatidae

Banded eagle ray

Aetomylaeus nichofii

Myliobatidae

Banded guitarfish

Zapteryx exasperata

Rhinobatidae

Banded stingaree

Urolophus cruciatus

Urolophidae

Banded whiptail ray

Maculabatis gerrardi

Dasyatidae

Banded whiptail stingray

Himantura uarnak

Dasyatidae

Barndoor skate

Dipturus laevis

Rajidae

Bat eagle ray

Myliobatis californica

Myliobatidae

Beaked guitar fish

Rhinobatos schlegelii

Rhinobatidae

Ben-Tuvia's electric ray

Heteronarce bentuviai

Narkidae

Bengal whipray

Brevitrygon walga

Dasyatidae

Bengal whipray

Brevitrygon imbricata

Dasyatidae

Bennett's stingray

Hemitrygon bennettii

Dasyatidae

Bentfin devil ray

Mobula thurstoni

Myliobatidae

Bering skate

Bathyraja interrupta

Arhynchobatidae

Big skate

Beringraja binoculata

Rajidae

Big skate

Leucoraja ocellata

Rajidae

Bigeye skate

Okamejei meerdervoortii

Rajidae

Bignose fanskate

Sympterygia acuta

Arhynchobatidae

Bigthorn skate

Rajella barnardi

Rajidae

Bigtooth river stingray

Potamotrygon henlei

Potamotrygonidae

Biscuit skate

Raja straeleni

Rajidae

Black river stingray

Potamotrygon motoro

Potamotrygonidae

Blackchin guitarfish

Glaucostegus cemiculus

Glaucostegidae

Blackspotted electric ray

Torpedo fuscomaculata

Torpedinidae

Blackspotted numbfish

Narcine timlei

Narcinidae

Blackspotted whipray

Maculabatis toshi

Dasyatidae

Ble-spotted stingaree

Neotrygon kuhlii

Dasyatidae

Bleeker's butterfly ray

Gymnura zonura

Gymnuridae

Bleeker's whipray

Pateobatis bleekeri

Dasyatidae

Blind electric ray

Typhlonarke aysoni

Narkidae

Blonde ray

Raja brachyura

Rajidae

Blotched sand skate

Psammobatis bergi

Arhynchobatidae

Blotched stingray

Urotrygon chilensis

Urotrygonidae

Blue spotted lagoon ray

Taeniura lymma

Dasyatidae

Blue stingray

Pteroplatytrygon violacea

Dasyatidae

Blue-nosed ray

Myliobatis freminvillei

Myliobatidae

Blunmose Stingray

Hypanus say

Dasyatidae

Bluntnose fiddlefish

Acroteriobatus blochii

Rhinobatidae

Boeseman's skate

Okamejei boesemani

Rajidae

Bowmouth guitarfish

Rhina ancylostoma

Rhinidae

Brazilian cownose ray

Rhinoptera brasiliensis

Myliobatidae

Brazilian electric ray

Narcine brasiliensis

Narcinidae

Brazilian guitarfish

Pseudobatos horkelii

Rhinobatidae

Brazilian large-eye stingray

Hypanus marianae

Dasyatidae

Broad skate

Amblyraja badia

Rajidae

Broadnose skate

Bathyraja brachyurops

Arhynchobatidae

Brown numbfish

Narcine brunnea

Narcinidae

Brown ray

Raja miraletus

Rajidae

Brown stingray

Hemitrygon akajei

Dasyatidae

Brown-reticulate stingray

Neotrygon leylandi

Dasyatidae

Bull ray

Aetomylaeus bovinus

Myliobatidae

Bullseye electric ray

Diplobatis ommata

Narcinidae

Bullseye stingray

Urobatis concentricus

Urotrygonidae

Butterfly ray

Gymnura poecilura

Gymnuridae

California butterfly ray

Gymnura marmorata

Gymnuridae

California skate

Raja inornata

Rajidae

Caribbean torpedo

Torpedo andersoni

Torpedinidae

Chilean torpedo

Tetronarce tremens

Torpedinidae

Chola guitarfish

Pseudobatos percellens

Rhinobatidae

Chupare stingray

Himantura schmardae

Dasyatidae

Clearnose skate

Raja eglanteria

Rajidae

Coastal stingaree

Urolophus orarius

Urolophidae

Colares stingray

Fontitrygon colarensis

Dasyatidae

Commander skate

Bathyraja lindbergi

Arhynchobatidae

Common bull ray

Myliobatis aquila

Myliobatidae

Common crampfish

Torpedo marmorata

Torpedinidae

Common guitarfish

Rhinobatos rhinobatos

Rhinobatidae

Common sawfish

Pristis pristis

Pristidae

Common skate

Dipturus batis

Rajidae

Common stingaree

Trygonoptera testacea

Urolophidae

Common stingray

Dasyatis pastinaca

Dasyatidae

Common torpedo

Torpedo torpedo

Torpedinidae

Cortez electric ray

Narcine entemedor

Narcinidae

Cortez round stingray

Urobatis maculatus

Urotrygonidae

Cowhead eagle ray

Myliobatis tobijei

Myliobatidae

Cownose ray

Rhinoptera javanica

Myliobatidae

Cuckoo ray

Leucoraja naevus

Rajidae

Cuphead skate

Bathyraja scaphiops

Arhynchobatidae

Daisy stingray

Fontitrygon margarita

Dasyatidae

Dark-belly skate

Bathyraja meridionalis

Arhynchobatidae

Davies' sting ray

Plesiobatis daviesi

Plesiobatidae

Deepsea leg skate

Notoraja tobitukai

Arhynchobatidae

Devilray

Mobula japanica

Myliobatidae

Diamond stingray

Hypanus dipterurus

Dasyatidae

Diamond stingray

Dasyatis brevis

Dasyatidae

Discus ray

Paratrygon aiereba

Potamotrygonidae

Dixons stingaree

Urolophus paucimaculatus

Urolophidae

Eastern fiddler ray

Trygonorrhina fasciata

Rhinobatidae

Eastern looseskin skate

Insentiraja laxipella

Arhynchobatidae

Eaton's skate

Bathyraja eatonii

Arhynchobatidae

Electric ray

Tetronarce californica

Torpedinidae

Equatorial skate

Raja equatorialis

Rajidae

Eyespot skate

Atlantoraja cyclophora

Arhynchobatidae

Filetail fanskate

Sympterygia lima

Arhynchobatidae

Freckled sand skate

Psammobatis lentiginosa

Arhynchobatidae

Freckled skate

Leucoraja garmani

Rajidae

Freckled skate

Leucoraja lentiginosa

Rajidae

Giant guitarfish

Rhynchobatus djiddensis

Rhinidae

Giant manta ray

Manta birostris

Myliobatidae

Giant shovelnose ray

Glaucostegus typus

Rhinobatidae

Granulated guitarfish

Glaucostegus granulatus

Rhinobatidae

Green sawfish

Pristis zijsron

Pristidae

Greyspot guitarfish

Acroteriobatus leucospilus

Rhinobatidae

Guitarfish

Acroteriobatus annulatus

Rhinobatidae

Guitarfish

Pseudobatos productus

Rhinobatidae

Guitarfish

Aptychotrema vincentiana

Rhinobatidae

Gulf torpedo

Torpedo sinuspersici

Torpedinidae

Halavi guitarfish

Glaucostegus halavi

Rhinobatidae

Herwig's skate

Raja herwigi

Rajidae

Holland skate

Okamejei hollandi

Rajidae

Izu stingray

Hemitrygon izuensis

Dasyatidae

Japanese butterfly ray

Gymnura japonica

Gymnuridae

Japanese sleeper ray

Narke japonica

Narkidae

Javalin skate

Dipturus doutrei

Rajidae

Jenkins whipray

Pateobatis jenkinsii

Dasyatidae

Jensen's skate

Amblyraja jenseni

Rajidae

Kit

Hypanus americanus

Dasyatidae

Knifetooth sawfish

Anoxypristis cuspidata

Pristidae

Korean skate

Hongeo koreana

Rajidae

La Plata skate

Atlantoraja platana

Arhynchobatidae

Largespot river stingray

Potamotrygon falkneri

Potamotrygonidae

Largetooth sawfish

Pristis perotteti

Pristidae

Largetooth sawfish

Pristis microdon

Pristidae

Leafnose legskate

Anacanthobatis folirostris

Anacanthobatidae

Leopard numbfish

Narcine leoparda

Narcinidae

Leopard skate

Rajella leoparda

Rajidae

Leopard whipray

Himantura undulata

Dasyatidae

Lesser guitarfish

Zapteryx brevirostris

Rhinobatidae

Lined round stingray

Urotrygon rogersi

Urotrygonidae

Little skate

Leucoraja erinacea

Rajidae

Longnose skate

Raja rhina

Rajidae

Longnose Stingray

Hypanus guttatus

Dasyatidae

Longnosed skate

Dipturus oxyrinchus

Rajidae

Longsnout butterfly ray

Gymnura crebripunctata

Gymnuridae

Longtail river stingray

Plesiotrygon iwamae

Potamotrygonidae

Longtail stingray

Hypanus longus

Dasyatidae

Lusitanian cownose ray

Rhinoptera marginata

Myliobatidae

Madeira skate

Raja maderensis

Rajidae

Magdalena river stingray

Potamotrygon magdalenae

Potamotrygonidae

Magellan common ray

Bathyraja magellanica

Arhynchobatidae

Maid

Urobatis jamaicensis

Urotrygonidae

Maltese ray

Leucoraja melitensis

Rajidae

Marbled stingray

Dasyatis marmorata

Dasyatidae

Markle's skate

Breviraja marklei

Rajidae

Masked stingaree

Trygonoptera personata

Urolophidae

Maya skate

Leucoraja caribbaea

Rajidae

McCain's skate

Bathyraja maccaini

Arhynchobatidae

Mediterranean starry skate

Raja asterias

Rajidae

Melbourne skate

Dipturus whitleyi

Rajidae

Menni's skate

Dipturus mennii

Rajidae

Mitotic stingaree

Urolophus mitosis

Urolophidae

Mottled eagle ray

Aetomylaeus maculatus

Myliobatidae

no photo

Mozambique electric ray

Narcine rierai

Narcinidae

Multispine skate

Bathyraja multispinis

Arhynchobatidae

Munda round ray

Urotrygon munda

Urotrygonidae

Munk's devil ray

Mobula munkiana

Myliobatidae

Murray's skate

Bathyraja murrayi

Arhynchobatidae

Norwegian skate

Dipturus nidarosiensis

Rajidae

Notoro skate

Bathyraja notoroensis

Arhynchobatidae

Numbray

Narke dipterygia

Narkidae

Ocellate spot skate

Okamejei kenojei

Rajidae

Onefin electric ray

Narke capensis

Narkidae

Ornate eagle ray

Aetomylaeus vespertilio

Myliobatidae

Pacific cownose ray

Rhinoptera steindachneri

Myliobatidae

Pacific guitarfish

Pseudobatos planiceps

Rhinobatidae

Painted dwarf electric ray

Diplobatis pictus

Narcinidae

Pale softnose skate

Notoraja ochroderma

Arhynchobatidae

Pale-edged stingray

Telatrygon zugei

Dasyatidae

Panamic stingray

Urotrygon aspidura

Urotrygonidae

Patagonian skate

Bathyraja macloviana

Arhynchobatidae

Patchwork stingaree

Urolophus flavomosaicus

Urolophidae

Pearl stingray

Fontitrygon margaritella

Dasyatidae

Pink whipray

Pateobatis fai

Dasyatidae

Pitted stingray

Dasyatis matsubarai

Dasyatidae

Porcupine ray

Urogymnus asperrimus

Dasyatidae

Porcupine river stingray

Potamotrygon hystrix

Potamotrygonidae

Powell's skate

Okamejei powelli

Rajidae

Prickly skate

Malacoraja senta

Rajidae

Pygmy devil ray

Mobula eregoodootenkee

Myliobatidae

Rasptail skate

Raja velezi

Rajidae

Raspthorn sand skate

Psammobatis scobina

Arhynchobatidae

Raspy river stingray

Potamotrygon scobina

Potamotrygonidae

Ray

Sympterygia bonapartii

Arhynchobatidae

Ray

Psammobatis rudis

Arhynchobatidae

Ray

Rioraja agassizii

Arhynchobatidae

Ray

Psammobatis extenta

Arhynchobatidae

Ray

Atlantoraja castelnaui

Arhynchobatidae

Ray

Amblyraja doellojuradoi

Rajidae

Ringed torpedo

Torpedo mackayana

Torpedinidae

Roberts' deepsea skate

Amblyraja robertsi

Rajidae

Rockfish

Myliobatis goodei

Myliobatidae

Rosette torpedo

Torpedo bauchotae

Torpedinidae

Rough ray

Raja radula

Rajidae

Rough skate

Zearaja nasuta

Rajidae

Roughnose leg skate

Cruriraja parcomaculata

Rajidae

Roughskin skate

Dipturus trachyderma

Rajidae

Roughtail stingray

Bathytoshia centroura

Dasyatidae

Round fantail stingray

Taeniura grabata

Dasyatidae

Round ribbontail ray

Taeniurops meyeni

Dasyatidae

Round skate

Rajella fyllae

Rajidae

Round stingray

Urolophus halleri

Urolophidae

Round whipray

Maculabatis pastinacoides

Dasyatidae

Roundel skate

Raja texana

Rajidae

Sailray

Rajella lintea

Rajidae

Sandy ray

Leucoraja circularis

Rajidae

Sepia stingray

Urolophus aurantiacus

Urolophidae

Serrula round ray

Urotrygon serrula

Urotrygonidae

Shagreen ray

Leucoraja fullonica

Rajidae

Sharpnose stingray

Telatrygon acutirostra

Dasyatidae

Sharpsnout stingray

Fontitrygon geijskesi

Dasyatidae

Sharpspine skate

Okamejei acutispina

Rajidae

Shortfin devil ray

Mobula kuhlii

Myliobatidae

Shortfin sand skate

Psammobatis normani

Arhynchobatidae

Shortlip electric ray

Narcine brevilabiata

Narcinidae

Shorttail river stingray

Potamotrygon brachyura

Potamotrygonidae

Shorttail skate

Sympterygia brevicaudata

Arhynchobatidae

Sicklefin devil ray

Mobula tarapacana

Myliobatidae

Sleeper torpedo ray

Crassinarke dormitor

Narkidae

Small-eyed ray

Raja microocellata

Rajidae

Smallthorn skate

Bathyraja minispinosa

Arhynchobatidae

Smalltooth sawfish

Pristis pectinata

Pristidae

Smooth back river stingray

Potamotrygon orbignyi

Potamotrygonidae

Smooth butterfly ray

Gymnura micrura

Gymnuridae

Smoothnose wedgefish

Rhynchobatus laevis

Rhinidae

Snouted eagle ray

Myliobatis longirostris

Myliobatidae

Speckled guitarfish

Pseudobatos glaucostigmus

Rhinobatidae

Speckled ray

Raja polystigma

Rajidae

Spineback guitarfish

Rhinobatos irvinei

Rhinobatidae

Spinetail ray

Bathyraja spinicauda

Arhynchobatidae

Spiny butterfly ray

Gymnura altavela

Gymnuridae

Spotted eagle ray

Aetobatus narinari

Myliobatidae

Spotted ray

Raja montagui

Rajidae

Spotted ray

Bathyraja albomaculata

Arhynchobatidae

Spotted stingaree

Urolophus gigas

Urolophidae

Spreadfin skate

Dipturus olseni

Rajidae

Starry skate

Raja stellulata

Rajidae

Stehmann's pygmy skate

Neoraja stehmanni

Rajidae

Striped panray

Zanobatus schoenleinii

Rhinobatidae

Striped stingaree

Trygonoptera ovalis

Urolophidae

Tasmanian numbfish

Narcine tasmaniensis

Narcinidae

Tentacled butterfly ray

Gymnura tentaculata

Gymnuridae

Thornback guitarfish

Platyrhinoidis triseriata

Rhinobatidae

Thornback ray

Raja clavata

Rajidae

Thorny freshwater stingray

Fontitrygon ukpam

Dasyatidae

Thorny skate

Amblyraja radiata

Rajidae

Tonkin numbfish

Narcine prodorsalis

Narcinidae

Tortonese's stingray

Dasyatis tortonesei

Dasyatidae

Tumbes round stingray

Urobatis tumbesensis

Urotrygonidae

Undulate ray

Raja undulata

Rajidae

Vermiculate electric ray

Narcine vermiculatus

Narcinidae

Virginia skate

Leucoraja virginica

Rajidae

Whip sting-ray

Dasyatis hastata

Dasyatidae

White skate

Rostroraja alba

Rajidae

White-edge freshwater whipray

Fluvitrygon signifer

Dasyatidae

Whiteblotched skate

Bathyraja maculata

Arhynchobatidae

Whitenose guitarfish

Pseudobatos leucorhynchus

Rhinobatidae

Whitespotted guitarfish

Rhinobatos albomaculatus

Rhinobatidae

Yellownose skate

Zearaja chilensis

Rajidae

Yellownose skate

Dipturus flavirostris

Rajidae

Yellowspotted skate

Leucoraja wallacei

Rajidae