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Animal profile

Round Stingray

Urobatis halleri

ChondrichthyesShallow sandy beaches, bays and estuaries, often in less than a metre of waterLeast Concern

Field profile

The round stingray is a small ray with a nearly circular disc under 30 centimetres wide and a short tail bearing a serrated spine. It lies buried in warm shallow sand along southern Californian beaches, where it accounts for most stingray injuries to swimmers.

Scope note

This is an editorial profile, not a diagnostic field-identification guide or a substitute for current conservation assessments. Follow the cited sources on each fact for the evidence trail.

Published field notes

2026-06-07

Round Stingray

Shuffling the feet prevents most stingray injuries

Round stingrays sting only when trodden on, and their spine drives upward into a foot placed on top of them. Sliding the feet along the sand instead of stepping gives a buried ray warning and room to swim away.

Read with evidence →

Round Stingray | Daily Animal Facts