Karl Callwood

Anyway I discussed the eagle ray incident with the instructor and he agreed with me, while eagle rays are known to "leap" (is it to remove parasites or chasing a food source?); anyway they are known to leap but he agreed with me that it was very likely a great hammerhead was on that ray - and probably a big one.......!

I dive almost every day and frequently see Spotted Eaglerays. First off, you should always state what type of eagleray you are referring to as there are many species. The eagleray that killed the unfortunate woman is a Spotted Eagleray, the largest of the stingrays.

The Spotted Eagleray's leaping behavior is not typically related to chasing food. Their diet consists of clams, scallops and other mollusks as well as the occasional octopus, shrimp or squid. Sometimes sea urchins or bony fish like hinds will make the menu. Recently I videotaped a Spotted Eagleray feasting on mollusks attached to Black Mangrove tree roots in a shallow Mangrove Lagoon.

When I have observed them jumping it has been related to mating and birthing behavior. Females may jump to avoid attention from unwanted males and also probably to assist in labor as the impact with the waters surface may help dislodge their pups. Spotted Eaglerays have two mating cycles per year. In my region of the Caribbean (Virgin Islands) this is often in the Spring and Fall. Their gestation cycle is 8 to 9 months. I have witnessed them giving live birth in a Mangrove Lagoon. I suspect that habitat was chosen because the low to zero visibility foils the hunting behavior of the Silvertip and Hammerhead sharks as well as being an untenable brackish environment for them. These sharks will follow adult females in the ocean to gobble up their young immediately following birth. An adult Spotted Eagleray is a fight; the young are easier victims.

Still, little is known scientifically about these magnificent creatures. There are three distinct color variations in bark blue, black and brown. Some have black dots in the center of their white spots. Future genome typing and analysis may indeed see the Spotted Eagleray divided into more than one species

VIDEO OF A SPOTTED EAGLERAY FEEDING UPON MOLLUSKS ATTACHED TO ROCKS IN A TROPICAL MANGROVE LAGOON

I think the press should be ashamed for getting the facts wrong, they are supposed to report facts but one says Stingray then the next it's an Eagle Ray, then back to Stingray again?? come on get it right.

The media did get it right. Eagle Rays are stingrays. The Spotted Eagleray can sport from one to five stinging barbs and is the largest of the stingrays. Thus, stingray is not an incorrect appellation. To be more specific, the media might say Eagleray or even what kind of Eagleray killed the woman.

VIDEO OF SPOTTED EAGLERAY SWIMMING AT 35ft DEPTH

I do not know where the wingspan of 10 feet quoted here (Forum Article on Woman Killed by Ray) comes from as the largest recorded Spotted Eagleray landed was 8 feet across. An average adult will be 4 to 6 feet across. I would like to see an accredited research citation with verified source for the 10 foot wing span listed by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. They do not seem to list one

ASSOCIATED PRESS VIDEO OF THE INCIDENT

(It should be noted that the stinging barbs are located at the base of the tail, not the tip of the tail, as stated in the video.)