Taeniura lymma (Bluespotted ribbontail ray)

(Forsskål, 1775)

Life > Eukaryotes > Opisthokonta > Metazoa (animals) > Bilateria > Deuterostomia > Chordata > Craniata > Vertebrata (vertebrates)  > Gnathostomata (jawed vertebrates) > Chondrichthyes > Elasmobranchii > Batoidei >  Myliobatoidei > Dasyatidae

Taeniura lymma (Bluespotted ribbontail ray) [Illustration by Ann Hecht ©]

Identification

A colourful stingray with large bright blue spots on its elongated oval disk and blue side stripes along its tail. Snout rounded-angular, outer corners of disk broadly rounded, tail stout, tapering, less than twice body length when intact, a broad lower caudal finfold that reaches tail tip, no large thorns but with small flat denticles along midback in adults, and usually one medium-sized sting on tail further behind its base than in most stingrays. Colour grey-brown to yellow or reddish brown above, underside white.

Size

To 2.4 m TL and possibly 90 cm DW.

Range

East coast, Natal and Mozambique; Indian Ocean and western Pacific.

Habitat

Inshore in the tropics, occurs in shallow sandy areas near coral reefs.

Biology

Common off kwaZulu and northwards but rare in southern Natal, feeds on bottom invertebrates including polychaete worms, shrimp and hermit crabs.

Human Impact

Seldom caught by anglers but often seen by divers. Small individuals are a favourite of marine aquarists.

Text by Leonard J.V. Compagno, David A. Ebert and Malcolm J. Smale