30.2 Oasyatis kuhlii
(MOiler & Henle, 1841)
PLATE 6
Bluespotted stingray
Bloukol-pylstert
Trygon kuhlii Muller & Henle, 1841: 164, PI. 50 (Vanikoro Id ., New
Guinea, India) . Dasyatis kuhlii: Compagno & Heemstra, 1984: 13* .
Tooth rows 25-30 in each jaw; total pectoral radials 108; total vertebral
centra 138, diplospondylous centra 80; intestinal valve turns 15 ; oral
papillae 2. Disc slightly wider than long, largely naked, with few middorsal denticles; tail naked, length equal to or slightly greater than disc; a
small dorsal finfold above the ventral fold .
Colour reddish brown above with bright ocelli with blue
centres and scattered black spots; disc margins dusky,
underside white; intact tail with a few black and white bands
behind sting. Maximum disc width less than 50 cm; total
length to about 70 cm. Known in our area only from near
Durban; a widespread inshore species of the Indian Ocean
and western Pacific from Zanzibar east to India, Ceylon,
Japan, the Philippines and Australia.
Blue stingray
30.3 Oasyatis pastinaca
(Linnaeus, 1758)
PLATE 6
Blou pylstert
Raja pastinaca Linnaeus , 1758: 232 (Europe). Dasyatis pastinacus:
Fowler, 1941: 420; Smith , SFSA No. 80*; Smith & Smith , 1966: 31* ;
Wallace, 1967: 34*; van der Elst, 1981: 45* .
Tooth rows ;~~!~; intestinal valve turns 22; oral papillae 5. Disc
slightly wider than long, mostly wider than long, mostly naked , except for
few denticles near front margin ; tail smooth , its length slightly greater
than disc; a short dorsal finfold above ventral fold.
Colour rich golden brown with bright light blue reticular
markings; tail darker, without light and dark bands.
Maximum width about 75 cm ; total length about 1.5 m;
weight to 25 kg . Natal to Namibia, ranging north in the
eastern Atlantic to the North Sea and the Mediterranean. A
common inshore stingray, often taken by shore anglers on
sandy beaches, but also trawled in 50 m. Good eating but
not often utilised.
30.4 Oasyatis thetidis
Ogilby, 1899
Thorntail stingray
Doringstert -pylstert
Dasyatis thetidis Ogilby , ill Waite , 1899: 46 (New South Wales,
Australia) ; Wallace, 1967: 40* . Dasybatus agulhensis Barnard, 1925: 78
(Agulhas Bank) . Dasyatis lubricus Smith, 1957: 429, PI. 15 (Algoa Bay);
Smith, 1961 : 565, No. 79a*.
Tooth rows ;~~:~; intestinal valve turns 26; oral papillae 5. Disc
slightly wider than long, with scattered large to small stellate denticles and
a regular mid-dorsal row of large thorns from nape to sting; tail very
thorny, its length about twice disc length; ventral finfold height 0.2-0.4
height of tail above it.
30: DASY ATIDAE (STINGRAYS)
Colour dark brown to grey-black above, light below,
without markings. Maximum width at least 1.8 m, total
weight at least 214 kg; length about 4 m; one of the largest
stingrays. Algoa Bay to Barra da Falsa, Mozambique; also
southern Australia and New Zealand. An uncommon stingray ranging from close inshore to 366 m depth, occasionally
hooked by anglers.
o . : : "
' . . : . ,
,
.',
i:
30.4 Dasyatis thetidis: 133 cm wide male (Natal) .
30.5 Oasyatis vio/acea
(Bonaparte, 1832)
Pelagic stingray
Pelagiese pylstert
Trygon violacea Bonaparte, 1832: PI. not numbered. Trygon purpurea
Smith, in Muller & Henle, 1841: 160, PI. 52 (probably South Africa).
Dasyatis purpurea: Barnard, 1934: 229. Dasyatis purpureus: Smith, SFSA
No. 82. Dasyatis vialacea: Bigelow & Schroeder, 1962: 230* ; Wilson &
Beckett, 1970: 701*; Compagno & Heemstra, 1984: 5.
Tooth rows ~;~~:; intestinal valve turns 22; oral papillae 10-12.
Disc somewhat wider than long, with a partial or entire mid-dorsal row of
enlarged denticles running onto tail base, otherwise smooth to partially
covered with tiny pointed denticles; tail length less than twice disc length;
tail with distinct ventral finfold, dorsal finfold low or absent.
./
/
(
30.5 Dasyatis vio/acea: 35 cm wide male (Cook Ids., Pacific).
137
(MOiler & Henle, 1841)
PLATE 6
Bluespotted stingray
Bloukol-pylstert
Trygon kuhlii Muller & Henle, 1841: 164, PI. 50 (Vanikoro Id ., New
Guinea, India) . Dasyatis kuhlii: Compagno & Heemstra, 1984: 13* .
Tooth rows 25-30 in each jaw; total pectoral radials 108; total vertebral
centra 138, diplospondylous centra 80; intestinal valve turns 15 ; oral
papillae 2. Disc slightly wider than long, largely naked, with few middorsal denticles; tail naked, length equal to or slightly greater than disc; a
small dorsal finfold above the ventral fold .
Colour reddish brown above with bright ocelli with blue
centres and scattered black spots; disc margins dusky,
underside white; intact tail with a few black and white bands
behind sting. Maximum disc width less than 50 cm; total
length to about 70 cm. Known in our area only from near
Durban; a widespread inshore species of the Indian Ocean
and western Pacific from Zanzibar east to India, Ceylon,
Japan, the Philippines and Australia.
Blue stingray
30.3 Oasyatis pastinaca
(Linnaeus, 1758)
PLATE 6
Blou pylstert
Raja pastinaca Linnaeus , 1758: 232 (Europe). Dasyatis pastinacus:
Fowler, 1941: 420; Smith , SFSA No. 80*; Smith & Smith , 1966: 31* ;
Wallace, 1967: 34*; van der Elst, 1981: 45* .
Tooth rows ;~~!~; intestinal valve turns 22; oral papillae 5. Disc
slightly wider than long, mostly wider than long, mostly naked , except for
few denticles near front margin ; tail smooth , its length slightly greater
than disc; a short dorsal finfold above ventral fold.
Colour rich golden brown with bright light blue reticular
markings; tail darker, without light and dark bands.
Maximum width about 75 cm ; total length about 1.5 m;
weight to 25 kg . Natal to Namibia, ranging north in the
eastern Atlantic to the North Sea and the Mediterranean. A
common inshore stingray, often taken by shore anglers on
sandy beaches, but also trawled in 50 m. Good eating but
not often utilised.
30.4 Oasyatis thetidis
Ogilby, 1899
Thorntail stingray
Doringstert -pylstert
Dasyatis thetidis Ogilby , ill Waite , 1899: 46 (New South Wales,
Australia) ; Wallace, 1967: 40* . Dasybatus agulhensis Barnard, 1925: 78
(Agulhas Bank) . Dasyatis lubricus Smith, 1957: 429, PI. 15 (Algoa Bay);
Smith, 1961 : 565, No. 79a*.
Tooth rows ;~~:~; intestinal valve turns 26; oral papillae 5. Disc
slightly wider than long, with scattered large to small stellate denticles and
a regular mid-dorsal row of large thorns from nape to sting; tail very
thorny, its length about twice disc length; ventral finfold height 0.2-0.4
height of tail above it.
30: DASY ATIDAE (STINGRAYS)
Colour dark brown to grey-black above, light below,
without markings. Maximum width at least 1.8 m, total
weight at least 214 kg; length about 4 m; one of the largest
stingrays. Algoa Bay to Barra da Falsa, Mozambique; also
southern Australia and New Zealand. An uncommon stingray ranging from close inshore to 366 m depth, occasionally
hooked by anglers.
o . : : "
' . . : . ,
,
.',
i:
30.4 Dasyatis thetidis: 133 cm wide male (Natal) .
30.5 Oasyatis vio/acea
(Bonaparte, 1832)
Pelagic stingray
Pelagiese pylstert
Trygon violacea Bonaparte, 1832: PI. not numbered. Trygon purpurea
Smith, in Muller & Henle, 1841: 160, PI. 52 (probably South Africa).
Dasyatis purpurea: Barnard, 1934: 229. Dasyatis purpureus: Smith, SFSA
No. 82. Dasyatis vialacea: Bigelow & Schroeder, 1962: 230* ; Wilson &
Beckett, 1970: 701*; Compagno & Heemstra, 1984: 5.
Tooth rows ~;~~:; intestinal valve turns 22; oral papillae 10-12.
Disc somewhat wider than long, with a partial or entire mid-dorsal row of
enlarged denticles running onto tail base, otherwise smooth to partially
covered with tiny pointed denticles; tail length less than twice disc length;
tail with distinct ventral finfold, dorsal finfold low or absent.
./
/
(
30.5 Dasyatis vio/acea: 35 cm wide male (Cook Ids., Pacific).
137