Fish
Spotted Ray
Raja montagui
On the sandy floor of the North Sea, a spotted ray lies flat, its back freckled with dark dots that match the shadows between the sand ripples.
Overview
The spotted ray, Raja montagui, is a Least Concern ray of sandy, gravelly, and muddy bottoms in the north-eastern Atlantic. Its small dark spots and wing patches make it one of the most recognisable and commonest rays around Britain and Ireland.
One of the common rays
While larger rays such as the blonde ray have been depleted by fishing, the spotted ray remains widespread and is regularly caught as bycatch.
Status
Least Concern, widespread and relatively common.
Spotted Ray: common questions
How can you tell a spotted ray?
It has a sandy to yellowish-brown back covered with many small dark spots and a rounded dark patch on each wing.
How big is a spotted ray?
It is a small to medium ray, usually around 60 to 80 cm long.
Is the spotted ray threatened?
No, it is Least Concern and relatively common in the north-eastern Atlantic, though it is caught as bycatch.
Where is the spotted ray found?
It lives on sandy, gravelly, and muddy bottoms of the north-eastern Atlantic, from the British Isles and the North Sea to West Africa.