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A strikingly beautiful ray with a dark disc covered in white spots and rings, a pointed snout and a long whip-like tail. It glides over Red Sea sand flats and reef edges, sometimes leaping clear of the water, and uses its duck-like snout to dig for shellfish.
This is a protected or non-target species — please don't fish for it. If it's accidentally hooked, release it quickly and unharmed.
Eating & safety
Harmless if undisturbed, but the tail carries venomous spines, so never corner or handle one.
Stung or poisoned? First-aid steps →Best conditions: Sandy reef flats and drop-offs with mild current, warmer months
Spotted eagle rays sometimes leap completely out of the water, a dramatic behaviour whose purpose is still debated.