🌊 Mottled Eagle Ray (Aetomylaeus maculatus) – The Spotted Glider of Tropical Waters
The Mottled Eagle Ray (Aetomylaeus maculatus) is an elegant and rarely observed species of eagle ray found in tropical Indo-West Pacific waters. Its beauty lies in its distinct spotted body, graceful wing-like fins, and its role as a key predator in coastal marine ecosystems. Let’s explore this majestic marine ray in terms of taxonomy, morphology, habitat, adaptations, and its presence in the Sundarbans.
📚 Taxonomy
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Kingdom: Animalia
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Phylum: Chordata
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Class: Chondrichthyes (cartilaginous fishes)
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Order: Myliobatiformes
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Family: Myliobatidae
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Genus: Aetomylaeus
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Species: Aetomylaeus maculatus
🔍 Morphology & Identification
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Disc Width: Can reach up to 78 cm, with total length exceeding 1.5 meters in some specimens.
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Coloration: Characterized by white or cream-colored spots scattered across a dark brown or grey dorsal surface.
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Body Shape:
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Flattened, disc-shaped body with wing-like pectoral fins.
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Long, whip-like tail which may have 1–2 venomous spines near its base.
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Broad, rounded snout with ventral mouth.
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Eyes: Located on top of the head; spiracles behind the eyes help in respiration while buried in sand.
🌊 Habitat & Distribution
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Found in shallow coastal waters, estuaries, and sandy lagoons of the Indo-West Pacific region, including India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia.
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Prefers sandy or muddy bottoms where it can bury itself to rest or ambush prey.
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Known to swim in small groups or alone, often near coral reefs or estuarine areas.
🌟 Special Features & Adaptations
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🐚 Crushing Jaws: Equipped with flat, plate-like teeth for crushing hard-shelled prey like mollusks, crabs, and clams.
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🌀 Bottom Feeder: Uses electroreception to detect hidden prey beneath the sediment.
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🪁 Graceful Swimmer: Propels itself with its wing-like fins in a graceful, undulating motion, giving it a bird-like appearance in the water.
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🧬 Ovoviviparous Reproduction: Females retain eggs inside the body until the young are ready to hatch and be born live.
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🌪 Camouflage: The mottled skin pattern helps it blend with the sandy seabed, avoiding predators.
🌿 Presence in the Sundarbans
Though not as commonly sighted as other species, the Mottled Eagle Ray is occasionally found in the deeper and saltier estuarine zones of the Sundarbans.
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Likely spotted in areas closer to the Bay of Bengal, where salinity levels are higher.
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They play a key ecological role in maintaining balance among benthic (bottom-dwelling) prey species.
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Threats in Sundarbans:
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Bycatch in bottom-trawling nets.
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Habitat degradation due to siltation and pollution.
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Overfishing of benthic prey, reducing their natural food sources.
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Their presence reflects the rich biodiversity and ecological complexity of the Sundarban marine fringe zones.
⚠️ Conservation Status
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IUCN Red List: Endangered
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Threats: Habitat destruction, overfishing, and lack of specific conservation measures.
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Need for Action: The species remains understudied and rarely monitored, making awareness and protection crucial.
The Mottled Eagle Ray is a graceful and ecologically vital inhabitant of tropical coastal waters, including the eastern fringe of the Sundarbans. Its presence, though rare, is a testament to the estuarine health and marine diversity of the region. Conservation and sustainable fishing practices are essential to protect such mysterious and mesmerizing marine life.
📌 Credit Note
🐾 Want to explore the coastal beauty and rare biodiversity of the Sundarbans in style? Book a Sundarban private tour package or indulge in a premium Sundarban luxury tour experience designed for nature enthusiasts and wildlife lovers.
🚤 For a broader journey through the mangroves and estuaries, visit Sundarban tour to discover customized packages.
🐟 Celebrate Bengal’s iconic fish during the Sundarban Hilsa Festival 2025, a seasonal delight of taste and tradition – also known as Sundarban ilish utsav!
To learn more about this species, check out the Wikipedia page on Mottled Eagle Ray.