Creature of the Month: Broad Stingray
By: Georgia Johnson-King, UHM MOP Student

Found solely in the shallow waters around Hawai’i and Taiwan, the broad stingray, also known by their Hawaiian name, lupe, are gentle cartilaginous fish which dwell on the ocean floor. Common in these locales, broad stingrays are one of four stingray species in the Hawaiian archipelago.

The broad stingray goes by several other monikers including the Hawaiian stingray or brown stingray. They can reach up to 123 lbs and have a wingspan of up to 5 feet. Because broad stingrays also sport venomous spines near the tip of their tail, it is essential to be careful when walking on the ocean floor to avoid startling a ray. Typically, these spines lay against the ray’s tail, but can be lifted up in order to defend. If broken, these regenerate in around 8 months.

Dwelling in waters as shallow as 8 ft, their main natural predator is the hammerhead shark. During the day, these rays typically rest in shallow water, burrowing in mud or sand. Their most active hours are between dusk and dawn, when they emerge to hunt for squid, octopods, crabs, and other prey.

Broad stingrays feature a camouflage known as countershading. This means that their top is darker than their belly. For this species, countershading manifests as a brown-black dorsal side and a white underside. Countershading works because animals seeing the stingray from above will mistake it for the ocean floor, while those seeing it from below will see it as light shining through the water.

Broad stingrays have various intriguing features such as their electrical field navigation techniques akin to those of their close relatives, sharks. Known as the ampullae of Lorenzini, pores on the snout of rays and sharks allow the animal to locate prey and navigate the ocean more efficiently.

Look out for these wonderful stingrays at Kaneohe Bay, as they’re especially plentiful on the windward side. When walking into shallow water, try using the ‘stingray shuffle’ by sliding your feet across the sand in order to alert any nearby stingrays to your presence and avoid stepping on them!