In the world's oceans, lakes, and freshwater rivers, stingrays are thought to exist in roughly 220 different species. One of the ocean's rarest species, the small eye stingray has a wingspan of nearly 7 feet, white markings, and tiny eyes (hence the nickname). 7 Only a few sightings were reported before the early 2000s, but this is gradually changing; in the previous 15 years, researchers have counted 70 sightings off the southern Mozambique coast.