Acquarium stingray bites diver

A stingray at the Melbourne Aquarium attacked a diver this morning, putting the man in hospital.

A spokesman for the aquarium said the incident occurred when the aquarium employee was in the tank feeding the creatures.

The diver was stung on the tip of the knee after he accidentally knelt on the ray.

"The ambulance was called, as per our standard operating procedures," the spokesman said in a statement.

"The staff member has now been taken to hospital as a precautionary measure."

Stingrays are related to sharks and are commonly found in tropical and subtropical regions.

They are not known to attack humans unless the human comes into contact with them by stepping on them or brushing against them.

The stings are usually not fatal, but sufferers describe them as incredibly painful.

The diver is in a stable condition and the injury has been described as minor.

In May, a two-meter ray stung a diver in the hand during feeding time also at the Melbourne Aquarium.

According to AAP, an audience watched as the 37-year-old woman's right hand was struck by the barb during a routine feed.