Rays

Undulate and Thornback Skate Rays

Despite their name, Undulate Rays are actually a type of Skate. Rays and Skates are very similar, but unlike Stingrays, Skates do not have a barb or stinger and lay eggs instead of giving birth to live young.

Found around UK coastlines, these fascinating creatures are perfectly adapted for life on the seabed. Their flattened bodies help them hide beneath the sand, while their eyes stay exposed to spot prey swimming past. When food gets close, they burst from the sand and trap it beneath their large wings before crushing it with powerful teeth underneath their body.

You may even spot some of their eggs in the Ray Lagoon and Rockpool!

Sadly, Undulate Rays are endangered in UK waters due to overfishing. SEA LIFE London is proud to support a national breeding programme helping protect the future of this incredible species.

Bowmouth Guitarfish

This wonderfully bizarre animal is called a Bowmouth Guitarfish. Though it is classified as a Ray, really it is half Ray and half Shark! Rays evolved from Sharks but this species stopped somewhere in-between.

When you visit us look out for our Bowmouth, Betty, in 'Pacific Shipwreck'. Like other Rays and Sharks, Betty has incredible skin. Instead of being covered in scales like other fish, she is covered in tiny teeth called dermal denticles. These reduce drag in the water so she can swim faster with ease.

With such huge fins, Bowmouth Guitarfish are particularly targeted by the Shark finning industry.

Cownose Rays

Cownose Rays are diurnal, meaning they are active during the daytime, and live in large social groups of often hundreds.

They are found in tropical and subtropical waters of the Atlantic and Indo-Pacific oceans, and prefer sandy or muddy habitats such as bays, estuaries, and coral reefs.

You can spot these Cownose Rays in our Open Oceans zone!