As traditionally recognized, it is found globally in tropical regions, including the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans.

Spotted eagle rays commonly feed on small fish and crustaceans, and will sometimes dig with their snouts to look for food buried in the sand of the sea bed.

These rays are commonly observed leaping out of the water, and on at least two occasions have been reported as having jumped into boats, in one incident resulting in the death of a woman in the Florida Keys.

They are fished mainly in Southeast Asia and Africa, the most common market being in commercial trade and aquariums.

[1][2][3] Its current genus name is Aetobatus, derived from the Greek words aetos (eagle) and batis (ray).

[2] The spotted eagle ray develops ovoviviparously; the eggs are retained in the female and hatch internally, feeding off a yolk sac until live birth.

[16] Spotted eagle ray preys mainly upon bivalves, crabs, whelks and other benthic infauna.

They also feed on mollusks (such as the queen conch)[17] and crustaceans, particularly malacostracans,[18][19] as well as echinoderms, polychaete worms,[20] hermit crabs,[21] shrimp, octopuses, and some small fish.

[22] The spotted eagle ray's specialized chevron-shaped tooth structure helps it to crush the mollusks' hard shells.

[8] There have been several reported incidents of spotted eagle rays leaping out of the water onto boats and landing on people.

[2] Interactions with an individual snorkeler in the Caribbean has been reported especially in Jamaica involving one, two and even three spotted eagle rays.

[30] Sharks have also been observed to follow female rays during the birthing season, and feed on the newborn pups.

In the western Atlantic Ocean it is found off the eastern coast of United States of America, the Gulf Stream, the Caribbean, and down past the southern part of Brazil.

In the Eastern-Pacific Ocean, it is found in the Gulf of California down through Puerto Pizarro, an area that includes the Galapagos Islands.

They spend much of their time swimming freely in open waters, generally in schools close to the surface, and can travel long distances in a day.

In the U.S. state of Florida, the fishing, landing, purchasing and trading of spotted eagle ray are outlawed.

[1] In Europe there is a breeding program managed by the EAZA for spotted eagle rays to reduce the amount of wild caught individuals needed by public aquaria.

Burgers' Zoo was also the first place in Europe to breed with the species and in 2018 was the most successful breeder worldwide with over 55 births.