Fish
Blonde Ray
Raja brachyura
Half-buried on a sandy bank off the Cornish coast, a blonde ray lies golden and speckled, its outline all but vanished into the sand.
Overview
The blonde ray, Raja brachyura, is a Near Threatened ray of sandy and gravelly seabeds in the north-eastern Atlantic. Its pale colour, dark spots, and large size make it one of the most handsome rays around Britain and Ireland.
A ray the colour of sand
The blonde ray’s golden, spotted back hides it perfectly on sandy ground, where it waits for fish and crustaceans to come within reach.
Status
Near Threatened, reduced by fishing.
Blonde Ray: common questions
Why is it called the blonde ray?
Its upper side is a pale, golden, yellowish-brown, dotted with small dark spots.
How big is a blonde ray?
It is one of the larger rays of European waters, reaching more than a metre across the body.
Why is it Near Threatened?
It grows slowly and matures late, and has been reduced by fishing across much of its range.
Where is the blonde ray found?
It lives on sandy and gravelly seabeds of the north-eastern Atlantic, from southern Norway and the British Isles to Morocco.