Kronos joins five other ray species at Atlantis: southern stingray, cownose ray, Caribbean ray, motoro stingray and spotted eagle ray, which gets its name from its distinct pattern of white spots on its back. Like sharks, rays are elasmobranchs and instead of bones, they have cartilage that enables them to move swiftly through the water. Rays are found in all the world’s oceans, and in addition to their winglike pectoral fins, they have long, slender tails that can have razor-sharp, venomous spines.

Rays need protection because they face serious threats in the wild. They are intentionally caught by fisheries who profit from the sale of their gill plates—highly valued in some cultures. They are vulnerable to boat strikes and entanglement in fishing lines. And warming oceans threaten their primary source of food: zooplankton, which are tiny organisms like shrimp, crab and mollusk larvae, and fish eggs.

Our research and tagging program have helped scientists and Government organizations better understand manta migration patterns and habitat usage.