Common stingray

About this species

The common stingray is a species of stingray in the family Dasyatidae, found in the northeastern Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean and Black Seas. It typically inhabits sandy or muddy habitats in coastal waters shallower than 60 m (200 ft), often burying itself in sediment. Usually measuring 45 cm (18 in) across, the common stingray has a diamond-shaped pectoral fin disc slightly wider than long, and a whip-like tail with upper and lower fin folds. It can be identified by its plain coloration and mostly smooth skin, except for a row of tubercles along the midline of the back in the largest individuals.

Text from the Wikipedia article “Common stingray”, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the article

Where and when

Where it has been recorded

Worldwide

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Best months

Worldwide (open data)

January: 12 records
February: 11 records
March: 42 records
April: 45 records
May: 75 records
June: 104 records
July: 209 records
August: 244 records
September: 154 records
October: 141 records
November: 114 records
December: 71 records

Depth and water temperature

Depth

Mostly recorded at 14–50 m · Deepest record: 140 m

0–10 m: 4 records
10–20 m: 137 records
20–30 m: 59 records
30–40 m: 34 records
40–50 m: 59 records
50–60 m: 12 records
60–70 m: 4 records
70–80 m: 5 records
80–90 m: 2 records
90–100 m: 4 records
100–110 m: 1 records
110+ m: 4 records

Water temperature

Recorded in surface water of 8–26 °C

8–10 °C: 1 records
10–12 °C: 37 records
12–14 °C: 71 records
14–16 °C: 7 records
16–18 °C: 64 records
18–20 °C: 58 records
20–22 °C: 44 records
22–24 °C: 16 records
24–26 °C: 0 records
26–28 °C: 1 records

Photos

(c) Chris Taklis, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist
(c) jeyre, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist
(c) Karim Haddad, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist
(c) Adi Peter, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist
(c) Chris Taklis, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist
(c) Xavier Mas, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist
(c) jeyre, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist

Names and classification

English: Common stingray, Stingray, blue stingray, common stingray, Common stingray, Stingray, sting ray, stingray

Names in 3 more languages

German: brauner Stechrochen, gemeiner Stechrochen, gewöhnlicher Stechrochen, Gewöhnlicher Stechrochen, Peitschenrochen, Pfeilschwanz, Stechroche, Stechrochen
Spanish: Bantenaga, Chucho, chuchos, Escorsana, Escursana, Escurso, Ferrasa, milano, pastinaca, Pastinaca, Pastinaga, Pombo, raya látigo, Raya látigo común, Rayalátigo común, Rayavaca, Romaguera, Serreta, Totina, Vela latina
French: Bastanago, Bougnette, Coucou, Fouleux, Pastenago, pastenague, Pastenague, Pastenague commun, pastenague commune, Pastenague commune, Pastenargo, Raie-pastenague, Tare ronde, Terre, Tonare, Vastanaga

Other scientific names: Dasyatis pastinacus, Dasyatis pestinaca, Dasyatis ujo, Dasybatus pastinaca, Pastinaca laevis, Pastinaca olivacea, Raja pastinaca, Trygon pastinaca, Trygon vulgaris

Similar species

Bathytoshia matsubarai
Bathytoshia brevicaudata
Reef stingray
Taeniura lymma
Black Skate
Bathytoshia lata
Brown Stingray
Hemitrygon fluviorum
Australian Whipray
Himantura australis
Honeycomb stingray
Himantura uarnak

Sources and credits

Names and taxonomy: WoRMS (CC BY 4.0) and the GBIF Backbone (CC BY 4.0). Photos: iNaturalist observers, each under the licence shown (CC0, CC BY or CC BY-SA).

Depth, temperature, months and maps: records from OBIS and GBIF under CC0 or CC BY.
Descriptions: Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA, each linked to its article.
Conservation status as published by GBIF (IUCN Red List).
1,414 open-data records from 1758 to 2024.
Species data updated November 2, 2026.