Ray

Atlantic stingray

Hypanus sabinus

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

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.

RECORDED PRESENCE

Where has Atlantic stingray been recorded?

These destination links use the same area and date cutoff as the map: 40 km circles, except for the four named regional rectangles. Checked 2026-09-19. Counts describe source records, not individual animals or sighting odds.

Chesapeake BayVirginia & Maryland, United StatesRegional rectangle · 444 source records since 2016About this destination →Florida KeysFlorida, United StatesRegional rectangle · 5 source records since 2016About this destination →

Sources, search boundaries and limitations