Depth
Myliobatidae · Myliobatiformes · Critically Endangered

Bull Ray

Aetomylaeus bovinus

0–30m
Depth Range
222 cm disc
Max Size
Med / Atlantic
Distribution
0–30m
Depth Range
222 cm
Max Size
Coastal
Habitat
Carnivore
Diet
Solitary
Social
CR
IUCN Status

Elasmobranch

Identification & Biology

  • Identification Large eagle ray with a wide diamond-shaped disc and a distinct cephalic lobe (head) that protrudes forward beyond the disc. Olive-grey to brown dorsal surface; pale white ventral. Long whip-like tail without venomous spine.
  • Size Disc width up to 222 cm; body length up to 1.5 m; weight up to 116 kg. Females grow larger than males.
  • Social Habit Mostly solitary, occasionally in small schools. Tagged individuals have been recorded on seasonal migrations exceeding 900 km.
  • Habitat Coastal waters, estuaries, and lagoons over sandy and muddy substrates. Both pelagic (open water) and benthic (bottom) activity recorded.
  • Depth 0 to 30 m; occasionally recorded to 65 m.
  • Feeds On Bivalves, gastropods, crabs, hermit crabs, squids and prawns. Uses robust crushing dental plates to crack open shells and crustacean carapaces.
  • Distribution Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea, eastern Atlantic (Portugal to Guinea). Also recorded off South Africa and the Indian Ocean coast to Kenya.
  • Description Aetomylaeus bovinus is a large eagle ray reaching up to 2.5 metres in wingspan, with a broad, flat disc, a distinctively blunt snout and a long whip-like tail bearing a venomous spine. Its dorsal surface is bronze to olive-brown, and it is typically seen cruising over sandy seabeds or Posidonia meadows between 10 and 60 metres in Maltese waters.

Range

Habitat & Distribution

The bull ray inhabits coastal and estuarine waters across the Mediterranean and Atlantic, typically in the upper 30 m. It was once common in Malta but is now extremely rarely encountered – a reflection of its Critically Endangered status across the Mediterranean region.

Where Malta divers have spotted this species

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Sightings are logged by divers using our What Did You See? dive-log tool. View the full live sightings map.

Detail

Preferred Environment

Sandy and muddy coastal substrates, estuaries and lagoons at 0–30 m. Frequently enters very shallow water. Occasionally encountered in open water mid-column.

Encounter Tips

Sightings in Malta are rare events. Sandy open areas at sites like Ghar Lapsi and Blue Lagoon offer the best chance. Approach slowly, stay low, and avoid any sudden movement that may cause the ray to flee.

Bull Ray species card

Biology

Behaviour & Diet

Feeding Strategy

Benthic-pelagic predator that searches sandy and muddy substrates for prey. Uses powerful crushing dental plates to crack open bivalve shells, gastropods, and crustacean carapaces. Also takes squids and prawns in the water column. Bull rays have been recorded causing significant damage to commercial shellfish farms.

Durophage

Reproduction

Ovoviviparous: embryos develop inside the mother and are born live. Litter size is low at 3–4 pups, with a gestation period of 6–12 months depending on location. Sexual maturity is reached at 4–6 years. This slow reproductive rate makes population recovery from decline extremely difficult.

Ovoviviparous

Conservation Crisis

Classified Critically Endangered by the IUCN with population declines exceeding 80% over three generations. Extremely rare throughout the Mediterranean. The primary threats are bycatch in pelagic and bottom trawls, trammel nets, and gill nets. No species-specific protective measures are currently in place across most of its range.

Critically Endangered

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Where to Encounter in Malta

Bull Ray favour sandy and muddy seabeds across the Maltese Islands, resting or foraging on the open bottom. The sites below offer consistent sandy habitat where encounters are reliable on guided dives with diveshack.

3–14m
Comino

Blue Lagoon

Bull Ray settle on the sandy floor and posidonia meadows at 3–14m, often partially buried when resting between foraging bouts. Sandy areas around Blue Lagoon are the most productive search zones.

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2–12m
Valletta and Grand Harbour

Victorian Guns

Bull Ray settle on the Victorian cannon barrels on a sandy harbour seabed at 2–12m, often partially buried when resting between foraging bouts. Sandy areas around Victorian Guns are the most productive search zones.

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10–30m
North Malta

Ben's Arch

Bull Ray settle on the sea grass meadows and boulder fields at 10–30m, often partially buried when resting between foraging bouts. Sandy areas around Ben's Arch are the most productive search zones.

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3-18m
Comino

Blue Lagoon

Extensive sandy floor with excellent visibility. The calm, shallow sandy channels are ideal bull ray habitat and occasional sightings have been reported in the area.

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8-30m
North Malta

Cirkewwa

Sandy channels flanking the reef system at 10–30 m. The open sandy corridors offer suitable foraging habitat for any pelagic rays moving through the channel.

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IUCN Red List Critically Endangered

Conservation Status

The bull ray is Critically Endangered (IUCN 2016). Mediterranean populations have declined by more than 80% over three generations, driven almost entirely by bycatch in commercial fishing gear. The species has extremely low fecundity (3–4 pups per litter) and reaches sexual maturity late, making recovery very slow. No species-specific protective measures are in place across most of its range.

Photo: Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias, Valencia (CC BY 2.0) via Wikimedia Commons
Species data: Wikipedia / IUCN Red List
diveshack Mediterranean Marine Life guide