Habitat:
 Home is Where the
  Sand is

   Southern Stingrays live in tropical and subtropical areas. They inhabit central-western Atlantic: from New Jersey, USA to Brazil, the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico. These stingrays are most abundant near the Bahamas and Florida, USA. Click here to see a map of their distribution.

     Southern Stingrays have adapted to living in the benthic zone. The benthic zone is the bottom of a body of water. In this case, it is the sea floor. They favor areas with sandy bottoms, sea grass beds, lagoons and reefs. These stingrays have electrosenses along with a strong sense of smell and touch that allow them to live in these areas and find food that's hidden in the sand.

     Southern Stingrays have been found alone, in pairs, and occasionally in large groups. There are numerous fish, coral and other organisms that live in the reef with these stingrays. Bluehead Wrasse and Spanish Hogfish have cleaning stations for the Southern Stingrays to visit. Mollusks, crustaceans, and worms can be found living in the sand where these stingrays search for food.

Hungry for a 'sand'wich? Read about Nutrition

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