Species FishSouthern Stingray

Southern Stingray

Hypanus americanus

CommonFish
Illustration of Southern Stingray (Hypanus americanus)
Safety note: The tail carries a venomous barb used only in defense. Shuffle your feet in shallow water so rays can move away.

A flat, diamond-shaped ray that glides along sandy bottoms and often buries itself with only its eyes showing. It feeds by flapping its wings to uncover buried prey and trails a long, barbed tail.

Habitat
Warm shallow coastal waters, seagrass beds, and sandy flats.
Diet
Clams, worms, shrimp, and small fish dug from the sand.
How common
Common

Best time to see a Southern Stingray

The best time to see a Southern Stingray is April–August, when about 62% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 673 research-grade iNaturalist observations.

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Recent Southern Stingray sightings near you

Live, research-grade observations from iNaturalist. Allow location to center the map on you.

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