Cownose Ray

SCIENTIFIC NAME Rhinoptera

RANGE Shallow marine and brackish waters of the western Atlantic distributed from the northern US to Brazil, including through the Gulf of Mexico.

LOCATION IN THE ZOO One Ocean Aquarium in the Galápagos Islands

COOL ANIMAL FACT As this ray swims through the ocean, its wingtips often break the surface, resembling the dorsal fin of a shark, which sometimes causes undue alarm for swimmers and divers. Occasionally, they jump out of the water and land with a loud smack, a behavior thought to be a territorial display.