Bat Ray

The Bat Ray (Myliobatis californica) is a large eagle ray found along the Pacific coast of North America, from Oregon to the Gulf of California. It belongs to the family Myliobatidae and is easily recognized by its high-domed head, blunt protruding snout, and dark, nearly black dorsal coloration. Bat rays are common in bays, estuaries, and kelp forest habitats, where they are frequently observed by divers gliding over sandy bottoms or resting partially buried in sediment. They are important predators of benthic invertebrates and, through their foraging pits, help aerate and turn over sediment. Bat Rays are not currently considered globally threatened, though they face incidental fishing pressure in parts of their range.

• Disc: diamond-shaped with long, sharply pointed wingtips
• Head: notably high and domed, set apart from the disc, with a short blunt snout
• Color: dark brown to almost black dorsally, contrasting sharply with a white to cream underside
• Tail: long, thin, whip-like, with one or more venomous spines near the base
• Size: disc width up to about 1.8 m

The steep, raised head profile and near-black back distinguish it from other eastern Pacific rays such as the round stingray, which lacks a domed head and is far smaller.

Bat Rays inhabit temperate coastal waters of the eastern Pacific, ranging from Oregon south to the Gulf of California, including well-known populations in California bays such as San Francisco and Tomales Bay. They favor shallow sandy or muddy bottoms in bays, estuaries, and kelp forests, typically at depths from the intertidal zone down to around 45 m, though they can range into somewhat deeper offshore water. Juveniles tend to use shallower estuarine nursery areas, while larger adults range more widely, including seasonal movements linked to temperature and reproduction.

Bat Rays are active benthic foragers that use their snout and disc to excavate pits in soft sediment, unearthing buried clams, worms, and crustaceans, which they crush with flattened pavement-like teeth. They are frequently seen resting partially buried in sand during the day and become more active at dusk and through the night. Bat Rays can form loose aggregations, particularly in productive bay habitats, and their foraging pits are used opportunistically by other fish species seeking exposed prey. Reproduction is ovoviviparous, with females giving birth to live litters of several pups after gestation, and the venomous tail spine is used strictly in self-defense.