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VIDEO: An Atlantic coast eagle ray in Florida s Indian River Lagoon. Atlantic coast rays spent greater than five times the amount of time inshore, regardless of maturity or sex, than Gulf. view more
Credit: Cameron Luck
Its muscular body shape and large pectoral fins are perfect for long-distance travel, yet movement patterns of the whitespotted eagle ray (Aetobatus narinari) remain a mystery. Researchers from Florida Atlantic University s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute in collaboration with Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium, the University of Florida and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, are the first to conduct a multiyear study examining large-scale movements of whitespotted eagle rays in United States waters.
Drifter or homebody? Study first to show where whitespotted eagle rays roam eurekalert.org - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from eurekalert.org Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Scientists have eavesdropped on dinner time for the large marine predator the whitespotted eagle ray for the first time in order to learn more about how it eats.
Underwater recordings show the animals trawling the seabed and sucking up large shellfish before using their powerful mouths to crush them before swallowing.
This feeding mechanism has long been known, but has been hard to study and record due to the elusive nature of the animals.
Underwater recordings show the whitespotted eagle rays (pictured) trawling the seabed and sucking up large shellfish before using the powerful mouths to crush them
The recordings capture the moment the predator smashes the shell of molluscs, including oysters, clams and conchs.
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VIDEO: Turn up the sound! Using the whitespotted eagle ray and underwater acoustic recorders, a study is the first to characterize how they consume hard-shelled mollusk prey like clams in a. view more
Credit: Florida Atlantic University s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute Shell-crushing - exactly what it sounds like - is a predatory mode used by numerous marine life from crabs to octopuses to large fishes and mammals when they eat hard-shelled mollusks like clams, oysters and conchs. These predators have to break apart the shell using robust claws or fortified jaws to access the prey s soft tissues.
Despite its prevalence in the marine environment, this feeding behavior has remained elusive to study remotely, particularly for larger marine animals that destroy shells almost completely, leaving behind little trace. Moreover, because they are highly mobile, scientists have difficulty in directly observing their foraging habits, which is why the ecolog