Deepwater Stingrays in Papahānaumokuākea | Nautilus Live

Spotted: deepwater stingrays in Papahānaumokuākea National Marine Sanctuary! While exploring the steep banks flanking Nīhoa with ROVs Atalanta and Little Hercules, the team was delighted spotting several Plesiobatis daviesi rays. While initially investigating a Malacocephalus sp. grenadier at 567 meters (1,860 feet) deep, we caught sight of our first cartilaginous chondrichthyan gliding along the seafloor. These flattened elasmobranchs are widely distributed across the Pacific’s continental slopes, including south to Australia where they're called giant stingarees. Along the dive, this fascinating predator was spotted again at 563 meters (1,847 feet) and 579 meters (1,899 feet). Deepwater stingrays are predators that eat crustaceans, cephalopods, and bony fishes. They use their long, flexi