Aetobatus ocellatus
Silhouette: M Kolmann · PhyloPic
In 3 days >90%
The ocellated eagle ray or the whitespotted eagle ray, Aetobatus ocellatus, is a species of cartilaginous fish in the eagle ray family Myliobatidae. It is found in the tropical Indo-West Pacific region. In the past it was included in the spotted eagle ray (A. narinari), a species restricted to the Atlantic after the split.
Compared to the spotted eagle ray, A. ocellatus has a longer tail (mean total length 281 vs. 263% DW) and a longer stinging spine (mean length 9.7 vs. 8.9% DW). The background coloration of the dorsal surface in A. ocellatus is dark greenish/greying to almost blackish whereas A. narinari is much paler, medium yellowish to brownish. Their foraging range is based on anthropogenic noises with populations structured according to ontogenetic stage.
The ocellated eagle ray exhibits ovoviviparity with embryos feeding on yolk initially, then receiving additional nutrients from the mother through indirect absorption of enriched uterine fluid. The gestation period lasts over 12 months and only produces a few pups.
The ocellated eagle ray feeds primarily on gastropod, bivalve molluscs, crustaceans, worms, octopuses... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Galápagos Islands | 🇪🇨 Ecuador | |
| 2 | Komodo National Park | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | |
| 3 | Raja Ampat | 🇮🇩 Indonesia |
Likely
About 60% of wildlife watchers report a White-spotted Eagle Ray sighting in Galápagos Islands on a given day, based on 393 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 3rd most-seen of the 16 sharks and rays we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
March to January
In those months about 80% of wildlife watchers report a White-spotted Eagle Ray in Galápagos Islands on a given day, against about 70% in February, the lowest month.
Between 7 and 10 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most White-spotted 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 3 parks where we can rate White-spotted Eagle Ray sightings, Galápagos Islands has the highest daily chance: about 60%. Next come Komodo National Park (Indonesia, about 40%) and Raja Ampat (Indonesia, about 20%).
Same family: Myliobatidae
The closest relatives of the White-spotted Eagle Ray that you can see in Galápagos Islands (family Myliobatidae, Eagle Rays) are Golden Cownose Ray (about 50%), Oceanic Manta Ray (about 30%) and Lesser Devil Ray (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the White-spotted Eagle Ray is recorded against all the sharks and rays logged in Galápagos Islands (393 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.
