A new Haller's Round Stingray arrived at the Tennessee Aquarium with a surprise of her own to share: she gave birth to a litter of five on October 21, soon after her arrival. Each baby now measures about three inches (7.6 cm), minus the tail, and could grow to be slightly larger than 12 inches (30 cm) in disk size as adults. Stingrays give birth to live young, which absorb nutrients from a yolk sac and then a special uterine 'milk' before birth. Born fully developed, the babies are immediately able to swim and feed, requiring no parental care. 

The mother gave birth while going through a routine quarantine period. The mother and eight other adult Stingrays acquired at the same time will be put on display in the zoo's touch tank once the quarantine period is complete. The babies will be raised off-exhibit until they are large enough to be displayed. 

Photo credits: Nikki Eisenmenger / Tennessee Aquarium

The Haller’s Round Stingray is a common species native to the coastal waters of the eastern Pacific. Haller’s Round Stingrays prefer sandy or muddy bottoms in shallow waters close to beaches. Round sting rays eat primarily benthic invertebrates – organisms that live in or on the sediment of the ocean floor - and small fish.