Ray

Bluespotted ribbontail ray

Taeniura lymma

IUCN status: Least concern

A small stingray with bright electric-blue spots on an olive-yellow body and blue side-stripes along the tail. It shelters under coral ledges and forages sandy patches, and is one of the most frequently seen rays on Red Sea reefs, present on most reef dives.

Max size
~35cm disc width
Habitat
Sandy patches and reef ledges

Best places to dive with Bluespotted ribbontail ray

rareoccasionalcommonly seenpeak season
Gili Islands
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
Januarycommonly seen
Februarycommonly seen
Marchcommonly seen
Aprilcommonly seen
Maycommonly seen
Junecommonly seen
Julycommonly seen
Augustcommonly seen
Septembercommonly seen
Octobercommonly seen
Novembercommonly seen
Decembercommonly seen

Common on sandy patches and under coral ledges across the sites; a regular sight on most dives.

Koh Chang
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
Januarycommonly seen
Februarycommonly seen
Marchcommonly seen
Aprilcommonly seen
Maycommonly seen
Junecommonly seen
Julycommonly seen
Augustcommonly seen
Septembercommonly seen
Octobercommonly seen
Novembercommonly seen
Decembercommonly seen

Blue-spotted rays and other stingrays are commonly seen on the sandy patches at Hin Raab and the National Park reefs.

Sharm el-Sheikh, Ras Mohammed & Tiran
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
Januarycommonly seen
Februarycommonly seen
Marchcommonly seen
Aprilcommonly seen
Maycommonly seen
Junecommonly seen
Julycommonly seen
Augustcommonly seen
Septembercommonly seen
Octobercommonly seen
Novembercommonly seen
Decembercommonly seen

Resident and among the most frequently seen rays on the reefs, tucked under coral ledges and foraging sandy patches on almost any dive.

Phi Phi & Koh Lanta
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
Januarycommonly seen
Februarycommonly seen
Marchcommonly seen
Aprilcommonly seen
Maycommonly seen
Junecommonly seen
Julycommonly seen
Augustcommonly seen
Septembercommonly seen
Octobercommonly seen
Novembercommonly seen
Decembercommonly seen

Bluespotted ribbontail rays are common on sandy patches and under coral ledges across the region's reefs.

Tenggol Island
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
Januarynot seen
Februarynot seen
Marchnot seen
Aprilcommonly seen
Maycommonly seen
Junecommonly seen
Julycommonly seen
Augustcommonly seen
Septembercommonly seen
Octobercommonly seen
Novembernot seen
Decembernot seen

Commonly reported on sand patches and reef edges during the open season; there is no documented seasonal peak.

Tioman Island
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
Januarycommonly seen
Februarycommonly seen
Marchcommonly seen
Aprilcommonly seen
Maycommonly seen
Junecommonly seen
Julycommonly seen
Augustcommonly seen
Septembercommonly seen
Octobercommonly seen
Novembercommonly seen
Decembercommonly seen

Bluespotted rays are a regular reef and sand-patch species around sites such as Soyak; no monthly variation is established.

Brunei's Offshore Wrecks
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
Januaryoccasional
Februaryoccasional
Marchoccasional
Apriloccasional
Mayoccasional
Juneoccasional
Julyoccasional
Augustoccasional
Septemberoccasional
Octoberoccasional
Novemberoccasional
Decemberoccasional

Blue-spotted rays are listed on the shallow reef at Pelong Rocks, sitting on sand between the rocks. Not a wreck animal here.

Con Dao Archipelago
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
Januaryoccasional
Februaryoccasional
Marchoccasional
Apriloccasional
Mayoccasional
Juneoccasional
Julyoccasional
Augustoccasional
Septemberoccasional
Octoberoccasional
Novemberoccasional
Decemberoccasional

Blue-spotted rays are reported on the sand and rubble patches at Hon Cau and Bay Canh. Operators do not distinguish species reliably, so some sightings may be the similar-looking bluespotted maskray rather than Taeniura lymma.

Koh Rong Archipelago
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
Januaryoccasional
Februaryoccasional
Marchoccasional
Apriloccasional
Mayoccasional
Juneoccasional
Julyoccasional
Augustoccasional
Septemberoccasional
Octoberoccasional
Novemberoccasional
Decemberoccasional

Rays are among the more reliable sightings on the sand flats, especially at Koh Tang's Stingray Alley and the Koh Prins sand sites. Operator reports say 'stingrays' generically, so the species mix is not confirmed.

Koh Tao
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
Januaryoccasional
Februaryoccasional
Marchoccasional
Apriloccasional
Mayoccasional
Juneoccasional
Julyoccasional
Augustoccasional
Septemberoccasional
Octoberoccasional
Novemberoccasional
Decemberoccasional

Common on sandy patches and under ledges at reef sites like White Rock; often tucked under coral by day.

Nusa Penida
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
Januaryoccasional
Februaryoccasional
Marchoccasional
Apriloccasional
Mayoccasional
Juneoccasional
Julyoccasional
Augustoccasional
Septemberoccasional
Octoberoccasional
Novemberoccasional
Decemberoccasional

Found tucked under coral heads and table corals on the shallow plateaus at Toyapakeh, SD and Mangrove Point. Present year-round, easy to miss unless you look under overhangs.

Perhentian Islands
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
Januaryoccasional
Februaryoccasional
Marchoccasional
Apriloccasional
Mayoccasional
Juneoccasional
Julyoccasional
Augustoccasional
Septemberoccasional
Octoberoccasional
Novemberoccasional
Decemberoccasional

Seen on sand patches and under coral ledges at the shallower sites — Stingray Alley and D'Lagoon at the Perhentians, Pulau Kerengga at Redang, which local guides call ray city. Jenkins' whiprays share the same sand flats and are easily confused with them.

Pulau Weh
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
Januaryoccasional
Februaryoccasional
Marchoccasional
Apriloccasional
Mayoccasional
Juneoccasional
Julyoccasional
Augustoccasional
Septemberoccasional
Octoberoccasional
Novemberoccasional
Decemberoccasional

Reported on sandy reef margins around Rubiah and western sites, with no established seasonal change.

Surin Islands (Mu Ko Surin)
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
Januaryoccasional
Februaryoccasional
Marchoccasional
Apriloccasional
Mayoccasional
Juneoccasional
Julyoccasional
Augustoccasional
Septemberoccasional
Octoberoccasional
Novemberoccasional
Decemberoccasional

Common on sandy patches and under ledges across the shallow reef sites.

Phu Quoc
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
Januaryrare
Februaryrare
Marchrare
Aprilrare
Mayrare
Junerare
Julyrare
Augustrare
Septemberrare
Octoberrare
Novemberrare
Decemberrare

Small rays may be encountered on sandy reef margins, but no dependable Phu Quoc frequency or season was found. Treat any sighting as a bonus.

Subic Bay
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
Januaryrare
Februaryrare
Marchrare
Aprilrare
Mayrare
Junerare
Julyrare
Augustrare
Septemberrare
Octoberrare
Novemberrare
Decemberrare

Bluespotted rays are reported on sandy areas around the barges and reefs; no monthly pattern is supported.

Sources & last checked

Checked July 2026

Research is source-backed, but conditions and fees should still be confirmed locally.

View 2 sources and checking notes

Note on the data: IUCN status varies by assessment (Least Concern vs Near Threatened); used the more conservative Near Threatened. Verify on iucnredlist.org.