Common eagle ray

The common eagle ray or bullray (Myliobatis aquila) is a species of fish in the family Myliobatidae. It inhabits the eastern Atlantic Ocean (North Sea to South Africa), the Mediterranean Sea and the south-western Indian Ocean.

Distribution

This species occurs in the eastern Atlantic Ocean, including the North Sea, from the British Isles to South Africa, extending to the Indian Ocean. It is also found in the Mediterranean Sea. It occurs both close to the shore and further out, at depths down to about 800 m (2,600 ft), but much of its time is spent in shallower water at less than 50 m (160 ft). It typically prefers more open sandy areas. It has also been found in a semi-enclosed lagoon on Gran Canaria Island, particularly in winter (March to April) and summer (August to October), where it was founded to prefer rocky and mixed bottoms.

Behaviour

Benthic invertebrates form an important part of the common eagle ray's diet. The species largely feeds on crustaceans and bivalve molluscs that it excavates from the seabed. Other items in its diet include polychaete worms, gastropod molluscs, sea pens and small fish. Larger individuals consume more fish than smaller individuals. Instead of having pointed teeth, it has flattened hexagonal bars and plates arranged in a mosaic pattern on its jaws; with these, it crushes the shells of its prey.

Mollusks and teleost fish were found to be the most important food items for individuals living in the Sea of Marmara, although polychaetas and crustaceans were also frequently found amongst the stomach contents. Calliostoma lusitanicum and Stramonita haemastoma are the most common prey species off the coast off the Azores.