Cownose Ray

The cownose ray (Rhinoptera bonasus) is a species found throughout a large part of the western Atlantic and Caribbean, from New England to southern Brazil (the East Atlantic ones are now generally considered a separate species, the Lusitanian cownose ray (R. marginata)). These rays also belong to the order Myliobatiformes, a group that is shared by bat rays, manta rays, and eagle rays.

Cownose rays prefer to live in shallower, coastal waters or estuaries. Size, lifespan, and maturity differ between male and female rays. Rays have a distinct shape, with two lobes at the front of their head, resembling a cow nose. Cownose rays can live between 16 and 21 years, depending on sex. Rays feed upon organisms with harder shells, such as clams, crustaceans, or mollusks. They are migratory creatures, south in the winter and north in the summer. The rays are known to occupy the Chesapeake Bay in the summer.

In 2019, the species was listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. The species has been subjected to overfishing due to the perceived threat of overpopulation in the Chesapeake Bay.

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