SeaLifeWiki
← All species

Ray

Atlantic stingray

Hypanus sabinus

Warm estuaries and coastal waters over sand or mixed silt and sand

Explore recorded regions ↓
Atlantic stingray

Photo: (c) Josie Dowd, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC-BY · Source and license. Displayed as a resized crop. Photograph illustrates the species.

Habitat
Warm estuaries and coastal waters over sand or mixed silt and sand
Published habitat depth
Usually 2–6 m inshore; rarely deeper than 25 m during offshore movements
Viewing activities
Snorkeling · Scuba diving

What to look for

A small brown ray with a pointed snout and a long, slender tail.

Wider distribution

Western North Atlantic, from Chesapeake Bay south to Florida and into the Gulf of Mexico.

Seasonal context

The reference describes summer and fall presence in Chesapeake Bay and movement toward warmer water as temperatures fall.

Identification and naming

The museum uses Hypanus sabina. This page retains Hypanus sabinus, the name supplied by the source records.

WHERE HAS IT BEEN RECORDED?

Explore the featured regions

These dated records show past presence. They do not establish today’s abundance, guarantee a sighting, or describe the species’ entire range.

Chesapeake Bay

Recorded here

444 OBIS records in the regional query · snapshot 2026-09-12.

Individual records in this sample do not supply habitat or depth. Use the species reference above for biological context.

Explore the regional map →
View example source records
  • OBIS · 2020-07-03iNaturalist research-grade observations · Elizabeth Green · https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
  • OBIS · 2016-08-02SERC Atlantic Stingray Study · ACT.SERC1 · https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
  • OBIS · 2016-07-23SERC Atlantic Stingray Study · ACT.SERC1 · https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/