Blue-spotted ribbontail ray

Description:

A fairly small ray, not exceeding 35 cm (14 in) in width, with a mostly smooth, oval pectoral fin disc, large protruding eyes, and a relatively short and thick tail with a deep fin fold underneath. It can be easily identified by its striking color pattern of many electric blue spots on a yellowish background, with a pair of blue stripes on the tail.

Habitat:

Common throughout the tropical Indian and western Pacific Oceans in nearshore, coral reef-associated habitats. This one was spotted at MacKay Reef, the Great Barrier Reef.