Common
Names:
Bullseye Stingray,
Bulls-eye Stingray, Reef stingray, Concentric
Stingray, Spot-on-spot round ray.
Latin Name: Urobatis
concentricus.
Previously classified as
Urolophus concentricus.
Family:
Urobatidae
Identification:
Almost circular oval disc. Dorsum markings consist of dark concentric
rings on a pale background. The outermost ring is often broken into small spots.
The broader central rings are linked by bars forming a bold laterally
symmetrical web pattern.
Size:
Maximum
length 60cm
Habitat:
Shallow
sandy
bays and around rocky reefs. Intertidal to at least 20m.
Abundance
and distribution: Predominantly found in the
Sea
of
Cortez
and possibly south to the Galapagos Islands.
In Cabo Pulmo the Bulls-eye Stingray is more frequently observed in the winter.
Behavior: Forages
over sand for worms and crustaceans.
Reproduction:
Ovoviviparous.
Gravid females exude milk from the wall of the uterus.
Photographs:
Cabo Pulmo,
Baja
,
Mexico.
Similar
species:
The Bullseye stingray shares its range with the
Cortez Round Stingray which is sometimes
almost
identical but usually displays a more broken pattern of spots and blotches, and
the Round Stingray
(Urobatis halleri)
which has a similar but barely
definable pattern over a network of fine light and dark spots.
Reaction
to divers: Moves
away upon close approach.
Diving
logistics: This
species is commonly encountered while diving and snorkelling over sand or near rocky reefs in the
southern
Sea
of
Cortez
.
In March at Cabo Pulmo I encountered the Bullseye stingray on every dive
at around 50ft. On a previous trip during the summer none were present implying
that this ray has at least a minor migration, perhaps into slightly deeper water
where the temperature is more moderate.
Other
diving locations submitted by readers:
References
and further reading:
Reef
Sharks and Rays of the World. Scott W. Michael. Sea Challengers.
Sharks and Rays Ralf M.
Hennemann
