Stingrays recorded making sounds for the first time—but why is a mystery

New videos taken in Australia and Indonesia reveal at least two stingray species make clicking noises—but it's unknown how they do it. 

Whales sing, shrimp snap, and toadfish hum. But the stingray? Until recently, scientists believed the flat fish to be quiet as a pancake.

Now, a study has broken that silence. Videos reveal that two species of stingray—the mangrove whipray (Urogymnus granulatus) and cowtail stingray (Pastinachus ater), both native to the Indo-West Pacific—produce striking, unmistakable clicks.

In fact, in one of the videos, the stingray’s click was so boisterous, it caused the photographer to drop his camera, says Lachlan Fetterplace, a marine ecologist at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences who led the study, published recently in the journal Ecology.

While nearly a thousand species of bony fish make some sort of

Unlock this story for free
Create an account to read the full story and get unlimited access to hundreds of Nat Geo articles.

Unlock this story for free

Want the full story? Sign up to keep reading and unlock hundreds of Nat Geo articles for free.
Already have an account?
SIGN IN

Read This Next

What bacteria lurk in your city? Consult the bees.
Is melatonin giving you nightmares?
Why are these orcas killing sharks and removing their livers?

Go Further

Subscriber Exclusive Content

Why are people so dang obsessed with Mars?

How viruses shape our world

The era of greyhound racing in the U.S. is coming to an end

See how people have imagined life on Mars through history

See how NASA’s new Mars rover will explore the red planet

Why are people so dang obsessed with Mars?

How viruses shape our world

The era of greyhound racing in the U.S. is coming to an end

See how people have imagined life on Mars through history

See how NASA’s new Mars rover will explore the red planet

Why are people so dang obsessed with Mars?

How viruses shape our world

The era of greyhound racing in the U.S. is coming to an end

See how people have imagined life on Mars through history

See how NASA’s new Mars rover will explore the red planet