About Aetobatus laticeps Gill, 1865
Aetobatus laticeps, commonly known as the Pacific white-spotted eagle ray, is a cartilaginous fish species that belongs to the eagle ray family Myliobatidae. This species occurs in the tropical East Pacific Ocean, with its distribution ranging from Baja California to northern Peru, including the Galápagos. Recent evidence suggests A. laticeps may be present in the Mexican tropical Pacific, specifically in Chacahua Lagoon. This evidence is currently insufficient, so ongoing research on spotted eagle rays in Chacahua Lagoon refers to the studied population under the name A. narinari. Until 2014, Aetobatus laticeps was classified as part of the similar spotted eagle ray species A. narinari, but genetic studies have confirmed the two are distinct species. After this taxonomic split, A. narinari is now restricted to the Atlantic Ocean, while the closely related A. ocellatus inhabits the Indo-Pacific. Both A. laticeps and A. narinari have white spots across the dorsal side of their dark-colored bodies, which makes them difficult to tell apart. Researchers have conducted studies to try to identify individual spot patterns that can be used to distinguish the two species.
