Ray
Bluespotted ribbontail ray
Taeniura lymma
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
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | commonly seen |
| February | commonly seen |
| March | commonly seen |
| April | commonly seen |
| May | commonly seen |
| June | commonly seen |
| July | commonly seen |
| August | commonly seen |
| September | commonly seen |
| October | commonly seen |
| November | commonly seen |
| December | commonly seen |
Common on sandy patches and under coral ledges across the sites; a regular sight on most dives.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | commonly seen |
| February | commonly seen |
| March | commonly seen |
| April | commonly seen |
| May | commonly seen |
| June | commonly seen |
| July | commonly seen |
| August | commonly seen |
| September | commonly seen |
| October | commonly seen |
| November | commonly seen |
| December | commonly seen |
Blue-spotted rays and other stingrays are commonly seen on the sandy patches at Hin Raab and the National Park reefs.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | commonly seen |
| February | commonly seen |
| March | commonly seen |
| April | commonly seen |
| May | commonly seen |
| June | commonly seen |
| July | commonly seen |
| August | commonly seen |
| September | commonly seen |
| October | commonly seen |
| November | commonly seen |
| December | commonly seen |
Resident and among the most frequently seen rays on the reefs, tucked under coral ledges and foraging sandy patches on almost any dive.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | commonly seen |
| February | commonly seen |
| March | commonly seen |
| April | commonly seen |
| May | commonly seen |
| June | commonly seen |
| July | commonly seen |
| August | commonly seen |
| September | commonly seen |
| October | commonly seen |
| November | commonly seen |
| December | commonly seen |
Bluespotted ribbontail rays are common on sandy patches and under coral ledges across the region's reefs.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | not seen |
| February | not seen |
| March | not seen |
| April | commonly seen |
| May | commonly seen |
| June | commonly seen |
| July | commonly seen |
| August | commonly seen |
| September | commonly seen |
| October | commonly seen |
| November | not seen |
| December | not seen |
Commonly reported on sand patches and reef edges during the open season; there is no documented seasonal peak.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | commonly seen |
| February | commonly seen |
| March | commonly seen |
| April | commonly seen |
| May | commonly seen |
| June | commonly seen |
| July | commonly seen |
| August | commonly seen |
| September | commonly seen |
| October | commonly seen |
| November | commonly seen |
| December | commonly seen |
Bluespotted rays are a regular reef and sand-patch species around sites such as Soyak; no monthly variation is established.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | occasional |
| February | occasional |
| March | occasional |
| April | occasional |
| May | occasional |
| June | occasional |
| July | occasional |
| August | occasional |
| September | occasional |
| October | occasional |
| November | occasional |
| December | occasional |
Blue-spotted rays are listed on the shallow reef at Pelong Rocks, sitting on sand between the rocks. Not a wreck animal here.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | occasional |
| February | occasional |
| March | occasional |
| April | occasional |
| May | occasional |
| June | occasional |
| July | occasional |
| August | occasional |
| September | occasional |
| October | occasional |
| November | occasional |
| December | occasional |
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.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | occasional |
| February | occasional |
| March | occasional |
| April | occasional |
| May | occasional |
| June | occasional |
| July | occasional |
| August | occasional |
| September | occasional |
| October | occasional |
| November | occasional |
| December | occasional |
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.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | occasional |
| February | occasional |
| March | occasional |
| April | occasional |
| May | occasional |
| June | occasional |
| July | occasional |
| August | occasional |
| September | occasional |
| October | occasional |
| November | occasional |
| December | occasional |
Common on sandy patches and under ledges at reef sites like White Rock; often tucked under coral by day.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | occasional |
| February | occasional |
| March | occasional |
| April | occasional |
| May | occasional |
| June | occasional |
| July | occasional |
| August | occasional |
| September | occasional |
| October | occasional |
| November | occasional |
| December | occasional |
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.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | occasional |
| February | occasional |
| March | occasional |
| April | occasional |
| May | occasional |
| June | occasional |
| July | occasional |
| August | occasional |
| September | occasional |
| October | occasional |
| November | occasional |
| December | occasional |
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.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | occasional |
| February | occasional |
| March | occasional |
| April | occasional |
| May | occasional |
| June | occasional |
| July | occasional |
| August | occasional |
| September | occasional |
| October | occasional |
| November | occasional |
| December | occasional |
Reported on sandy reef margins around Rubiah and western sites, with no established seasonal change.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | occasional |
| February | occasional |
| March | occasional |
| April | occasional |
| May | occasional |
| June | occasional |
| July | occasional |
| August | occasional |
| September | occasional |
| October | occasional |
| November | occasional |
| December | occasional |
Common on sandy patches and under ledges across the shallow reef sites.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | rare |
| February | rare |
| March | rare |
| April | rare |
| May | rare |
| June | rare |
| July | rare |
| August | rare |
| September | rare |
| October | rare |
| November | rare |
| December | rare |
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.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | rare |
| February | rare |
| March | rare |
| April | rare |
| May | rare |
| June | rare |
| July | rare |
| August | rare |
| September | rare |
| October | rare |
| November | rare |
| December | rare |
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
- Taeniura lymma (Bluespotted Ribbontail Ray), Florida Museum
- Egypt Marine Life, DIVE Magazine
Note on the data: IUCN status varies by assessment (Least Concern vs Near Threatened); used the more conservative Near Threatened. Verify on iucnredlist.org.