Southern Stingray
[ Dasyatis americana ]
Quick Facts
| BODY LENGTH: |
male: 2.5 feet; female: 6 feet (from wingtip to wingtip) |
| WEIGHT: |
up to 200 pounds
|
| WILD DIET: |
crabs, clams, shrimp, marine worms, and small fish |
| ZOO DIET: |
|
| DISTRIBUTION: |
southern Atlantic Ocean, as well as the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico; most abundant near Florida and the Bahamas |
| HABITAT: |
sandy bottoms, over seagrass beds, in lagoons, and on the reef face of tropical and subtropical waters |
Diamonds in the Ruff
Flat top
Southern stingrays have a flat, disc-like body that is often described as diamond-shaped. The upper part of them is a dark brown, and their underbelly is white—making them perfectly camouflaged to hang out on the sandy ocean floor.
Neat freaks?
Like many other stingrays, the southern stingray visits cleaning stations where Spanish hogfish and other fishes feed off the mucus and parasites on the stingray’s body. This makes for a friendly exchange as the stingray gets quite a thorough “bath” and the other animals get what they find to be a fabulous meal!
Southern stingrays at Brookfield Zoo
Stingray Bay is home to a school of southern stingrays at Brookfield Zoo. This visiting exhibit, which will stay open during the summer of 2008, swims away on Labor Day. So, don’t miss your chance to get in touch with ocean life through this intimate, interactive experience.
All the stingrays at Stingray Bay have had their barbs clipped for safe interaction.