pacific eagle ray
Aetobatus laticeps
Large ray with a dark blue back with white spots, living in bays and estuaries of the eastern Pacific. It has a tail spine.
Also called: raia-águia-do-Pacífico, raya manchada, chucho pintado, pacific eagle ray
- maximum
- 230 cm
who is the pacific eagle ray
The Pacific eagle ray is an eagle ray of the family Aetobatidae, large, reaching 230 cm in disc width. The common size is less than 130 cm. It lives in bays, estuaries and coastal areas, but also turns up farther offshore, alone or in large groups. It is found from the Gulf of California to Peru, including the Galápagos. It feeds mainly on bivalves, plus shrimp, polychaetes and small fish, crushed by its plate-like teeth. Because it has a tail spine, it needs care when handled.
Essential profile. Identification, where it occurs and rules, with data from FishBase and the cited regulations. Season, time of day, technique and bait are added once we have a good source for the pacific eagle ray.
fun facts
- It tends to swim alone or in large groups.
identification
Dark blue to black back, covered with many white spots or ocelli, with an almost entirely white belly. Short, very broad disc, with pectoral fins that meet at eye level, separated from the fleshy lobe at the front. The mouth is on the underside of the head, and the spiracles are large and visible from above. The tail is long, thin and whip-like, with one or more spines. It has no spines or plates on the disc.
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Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
Essential profile: the index uses a general fish model (weather, sun, moon and tide), without a season or time of day specific to this species.
where found
Eastern Pacific, from the Gulf of California to Peru, including the Galápagos. It does not occur in Brazil.
Habitat: Sandy and muddy bottom of bays and shallow estuaries, also occurring offshore.
rules for the pacific eagle ray
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.
catch and release
catch and release Releasing the fish alive, quickly and with a wet hand. During a closed season it isn't always allowed: what the regulation says applies.
It has a tail spine that can cause a painful wound: do not hold it by the tail; hold it by the disc and release it with minimal handling. If stung, seek medical care.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.01, b = 3.04; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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sources and references
Essential profile: size, length-weight, depth, countries and conservation come from FishBase and the cited regulations, and the texts were written from those sources. Season, time of day, sensitivities, technique and baits and lures are not included yet, because we did not find a good source for this species.
- scientific FishBase: Aetobatus laticeps (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Aetobatus laticepsNames by country and language.