Cownose Ray
Size
Wingspan up to four feet
Diet
Mollusks, such as oysters and clams, and other invertebrates
Habitat
Estuaries, shallow bays, and coastal areas
Range
Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico
Conservation Status
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Vulnerable
Endangered
Critical
Extinct in Wild
Extinct
Animal Fun Facts
- Nose to Know: Cownose rays get their name from their unique, cow-shaped nose.
- Shark Illusionists: When their triangle-shaped fins break the water’s surface, they can look like sharks.
- Special Senses: Cownose rays can find food in a fascinating way – through electroreception! They can sense tiny electric signals that shellfish give off, making it easier to find their next meal buried in the sand.
- Sting Defense: Cownose rays have a venomous spine near their tail, but they’re rarely a danger to people since they prefer to swim above the seafloor where they’re not likely to be stepped on.
Physical Description
Cownose rays have smooth, flat bodies and long, pointed pectoral fins, giving them a “kite-like” appearance. Their heads are shaped like a cow’s nose, which is where they get their name. Females are slightly larger than males and have wingspans that can reach four feet and they can weigh up to 50 pounds.
Their backs vary in color from brown to olive green, and they have a light-colored belly. This type of coloring is referred to as countershading and is a form of camouflage. Their light underside blends with light coming down from the ocean's surface, and their dark backs blend with the dark water when looking down from above.
Cownose rays have a long, whip-like tail equipped with a stinging barb. However, they are not aggressive animals and typically only sting when threatened.
Cownose rays are active swimmers that flap their fins like bird wings to propel them through the water. They tend to swim near the water surface, and when their triangle-shaped fins break the surface, they are sometimes mistaken for sharks.
They live in many areas of the Atlantic Ocean. They are highly migratory animals that travel south in the winter and north in the summer. They migrate in large groups, or schools, of up to 10,000 rays.
Their diet consists of mollusks such as oysters, hard clams, and soft-shelled clams along with other benthic invertebrates.
Lifespan & Reproduction
Male cownose rays live up to 16 years, while females live up to 18 years. They reach maturity at five to seven years.
Mating takes place in June or July. Female cownose rays are ovoviviparous, which means that young rays hatch from eggs inside the female and the female then gives birth to live young. They typically produce just one pup per pregnancy, and pups are independent at birth.
At Mystic Aquarium
Guests can see cownose rays at Mystic Aquarium in two spaces: the outdoor Ray Touch Habitat, and in the Main Gallery in the Ocean Oasis habitat. The rays cycle between the two habitats, so they get enrichment from different environments. In the Ray Touch Habitat, guests can touch, and even feed, the cownose rays!