Aetobatus laticeps
Silhouette: M Kolmann · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~80% in a week >90%
Aetobatus laticeps, the Pacific white-spotted eagle ray, is a species of cartilaginous fish in the eagle ray family Myliobatidae. It is found in the tropical East Pacific Ocean, ranging from Baja California to northern Peru, including the Galápagos. There has been recent evidence to suggest A.laticeps is in the Mexican tropical Pacific, more specifically in Chacahua Lagoon. However this evidence is insufficient and so the research being done on the spotted eagle rays in Chacahua Lagoon is working under the name A. narinari. Until 2014, it was included in the similar spotted eagle ray (A. narinari), but the two differ in genetics. Studies have been conducted to attempt to identify spot patterns at the individual level. A. laticeps and A. narinari both have white spots on the dorsal side of their dark body, making them difficult to differentiate. Following the split, A. narinari is restricted to the Atlantic, while the Indo-Pacific is inhabited by the closely related A. ocellatus. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coiba National Park | 🇵🇦 Panama | |
| 2 | Bahía de Loreto National Park | 🇲🇽 Mexico |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | SeaWorld San Diego | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Chapultepec Zoo | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 3 | Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Georgia Aquarium | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Aquarium of the Pacific | 🇺🇸 United States |
Likely
About 40% of wildlife watchers report a Pacific Eagle Ray sighting in Coiba National Park on a given day, based on 11 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 4th most-seen of the 5 sharks and rays we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 80%, and over a week to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
February and November
In those months about 70% of wildlife watchers report a Pacific Eagle Ray in Coiba National Park on a given day, against about 10% in March and April, the lowest months. June and September–October have too few records to rate.
Between 8 and 11 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Pacific Eagle Ray sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Yes
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Pacific Eagle Ray sightings, Coiba National Park has the highest daily chance: about 40%. Next come Bahía de Loreto National Park (Mexico, about 40%).
Same order: Myliobatiformes
The closest relatives of the Pacific Eagle Ray that you can see in Coiba National Park (order Myliobatiformes, Stingrays) are Leopard Round Ray (about 60%) and Longtail Stingray (about 40%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Pacific Eagle Ray is recorded against all the sharks and rays logged in Coiba National Park (11 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
