EXTREMELY RARE!!!
Melanistic California Round Ray-Urolophus maculatus
Rarity: Such melanistic instances are estimated at roughly 1 in 100,000 or less
California Round Rays (Urobatis halleri) typically display dappled, blotched, or mottled brown/gray patterns, but rare melanistic (solid black) individuals exist. They are small (averaging 8–10 inches) coastal stingrays often found in southern California sandy bays, featuring a venomous tail spine and a grayish-brown dorsal surface, sometimes with light spots.
- share the same shallow-water, sandy-bottom habitat preferences and carnivorous habits as their mottled counterparts
Blotched California Round Ray
- Normal Variation: Typical Urobatis halleri are not uniform in color, but rather brown, grey, or tan with dark mottled spots.
- Variations: They often exhibit a "maze-like" or dappled, variegated pattern on their upper surface, designed for camouflage on the seafloor.
- Distinction: The "blotched" appearance is common for the species, while true melanism is extremely rare.
Note: The "Blotched Fantail Ray" (Taeniurops meyeni) is a different, much larger species, and the "Blotched Roundray" (Urotrygon chilensis) is a distinct species from the Gulf of California.
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