30: DASYATIDAE (STINGRAYS)
Disc uniformly violet, purple, or dark blue-green above
and below, without prominent markings. Maximum width
80 cm, maximum length 164 cm. An anomaly among stingrays, oceanic in temperate and tropical waters of the Atlantic, Mediterranean Sea and Pacific Ocean; 2 records from
South Africa. Usually hooked by pelagic longlines well
offshore.
Genus Gymnura van Hasselt, 1823
About 12 species, 2 in our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
1a No tentacle at rear edge of spiracle .... ........ .... ... ....... C . japonica
1 b A tentacle at rear edge of spiracle .. .. .. ..... ... ... ......... C. natalensis
30.6 Gymnura japonica
(Temminck & Schlegel, 1850)
Japanese butterflyray
Japanse vlinderrog
Pteroplatea japonica Temmink & Schlegel , 1850: 309, PI. 141 (Japan).
Cymnura japonica: Smith, SFSA No. 85.
Tooth rows 30-40 in each jaw . No D. Tail half disc length.
Disc brown with darker mottling above , white below, tail
with transverse light and dark bands. Maximum disc width
at least 1.8 m. Agulhas Bank, India, China, Japan and
Korea. Identification of this species provisional.
30.7 Gymnura natalensis
(Gilchrist & Thompson, 1911)
PLATES
Backwater butterflyray
Rem-vlinderrog
Pteroplatea natalensis Gilchrist & Thompson, 1911 : 56 (Natal); Smith,
1934: 83*. Cymnura natalensis: Smith, SFSA No. 86*; Smith & Smith ,
1966: 32*; Wallace , 1967: 26*, van der Elst , 1981: 47*.
Teeth ~~:~~. No D. Tail about V3 disc length.
30.7 Gymnura natalensis: 67 em wide female (Durban).
138
Disc grey, green or brown above, often with darker
mottling, white below; can rapidly change markings and
colour to suit background. Anterior contour of disc with a
broader angle in adults than young. Maximum disc width
about 250 cm, greatest weight recorded nearly 90 kg. Only
known from Mossel Bay to southern Mozambique. A common inshore species, especially off sandy beaches and on
offshore banks down to 75 m; sometimes enters estuaries.
Commonly caught by shore anglers, often after much
effort, but not esteemed as food . Eats flat-fish, sardines,
mole crabs, worms and crabs.
Genus Himantura Muller & Henle, 1841
A large genus with 18 or more species, mostly in the IndoWest Pacific, 4 in our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
1a Dorsal surface of disc with a conspicuous pattern of
white or yellow lines on a dark background .................. H. uarnak
1 b Dorsal surface of disc without conspicuous light
markings ............ ... ............... .... ........ ...... .... .... .... ......... .... 2
2a Midline of disc and tail with continuous row of
sharp, enlarged, hooked denticles extending from
nape to sting; anterior part of tail covered with
enlarged, flattened denticles; a band of small dark
spots on upper rear margins of disc ............................. H. draco
2b Midline of back without enlarged denticles, except
for one or more midscapular pearl spines; anterior
part of tail with small scattered, flattened denticles;
no band of spots on disc margins .. ...................... .. .. .. .... ...... ... 3
3a Snout tip acutely pointed ; middle of disc densely
covered with small flattened denticles; tail with
light and dark bands in juveniles, fading in adults ........ H. gerrardi
3b Snout tip blunt, with a protruding medial lobe;
middle of disc with scattered small denticles; tail
without bands .. . ..... . .. . ...... . .. . .. . ..... H. sp.
30.8 Himantura draco
Compagno & Heemstra, 1984
Dragon stingray
Draak-pylstert
Himantura draco Compagno & Heemstra, 1984: 6, Figs. 1-8 (off
Durban).
28
Teeth 31; pectoral radials 148, total vertebral centra 112, total
diplospondylous centra 68; intestinal valve turns 25; oral papillae 2. Disc
somewhat wider than long, largely naked, with minute denticles on head
and abdomen, a narrow medial belt of flattened denticles with lateral
extensions on scapular region, and a continuous line of enlarged, middorsal denticles from level of spiracles to sting; anterior part of tail
covered with large flattened denticles; small flattened and pointed
denticles behind sting; tail length less than twice disc.
Colour brown above, white below, rear margins of disc
with light band and dark spots above , tan band below; tail
Disc uniformly violet, purple, or dark blue-green above
and below, without prominent markings. Maximum width
80 cm, maximum length 164 cm. An anomaly among stingrays, oceanic in temperate and tropical waters of the Atlantic, Mediterranean Sea and Pacific Ocean; 2 records from
South Africa. Usually hooked by pelagic longlines well
offshore.
Genus Gymnura van Hasselt, 1823
About 12 species, 2 in our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
1a No tentacle at rear edge of spiracle .... ........ .... ... ....... C . japonica
1 b A tentacle at rear edge of spiracle .. .. .. ..... ... ... ......... C. natalensis
30.6 Gymnura japonica
(Temminck & Schlegel, 1850)
Japanese butterflyray
Japanse vlinderrog
Pteroplatea japonica Temmink & Schlegel , 1850: 309, PI. 141 (Japan).
Cymnura japonica: Smith, SFSA No. 85.
Tooth rows 30-40 in each jaw . No D. Tail half disc length.
Disc brown with darker mottling above , white below, tail
with transverse light and dark bands. Maximum disc width
at least 1.8 m. Agulhas Bank, India, China, Japan and
Korea. Identification of this species provisional.
30.7 Gymnura natalensis
(Gilchrist & Thompson, 1911)
PLATES
Backwater butterflyray
Rem-vlinderrog
Pteroplatea natalensis Gilchrist & Thompson, 1911 : 56 (Natal); Smith,
1934: 83*. Cymnura natalensis: Smith, SFSA No. 86*; Smith & Smith ,
1966: 32*; Wallace , 1967: 26*, van der Elst , 1981: 47*.
Teeth ~~:~~. No D. Tail about V3 disc length.
30.7 Gymnura natalensis: 67 em wide female (Durban).
138
Disc grey, green or brown above, often with darker
mottling, white below; can rapidly change markings and
colour to suit background. Anterior contour of disc with a
broader angle in adults than young. Maximum disc width
about 250 cm, greatest weight recorded nearly 90 kg. Only
known from Mossel Bay to southern Mozambique. A common inshore species, especially off sandy beaches and on
offshore banks down to 75 m; sometimes enters estuaries.
Commonly caught by shore anglers, often after much
effort, but not esteemed as food . Eats flat-fish, sardines,
mole crabs, worms and crabs.
Genus Himantura Muller & Henle, 1841
A large genus with 18 or more species, mostly in the IndoWest Pacific, 4 in our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
1a Dorsal surface of disc with a conspicuous pattern of
white or yellow lines on a dark background .................. H. uarnak
1 b Dorsal surface of disc without conspicuous light
markings ............ ... ............... .... ........ ...... .... .... .... ......... .... 2
2a Midline of disc and tail with continuous row of
sharp, enlarged, hooked denticles extending from
nape to sting; anterior part of tail covered with
enlarged, flattened denticles; a band of small dark
spots on upper rear margins of disc ............................. H. draco
2b Midline of back without enlarged denticles, except
for one or more midscapular pearl spines; anterior
part of tail with small scattered, flattened denticles;
no band of spots on disc margins .. ...................... .. .. .. .... ...... ... 3
3a Snout tip acutely pointed ; middle of disc densely
covered with small flattened denticles; tail with
light and dark bands in juveniles, fading in adults ........ H. gerrardi
3b Snout tip blunt, with a protruding medial lobe;
middle of disc with scattered small denticles; tail
without bands .. . ..... . .. . ...... . .. . .. . ..... H. sp.
30.8 Himantura draco
Compagno & Heemstra, 1984
Dragon stingray
Draak-pylstert
Himantura draco Compagno & Heemstra, 1984: 6, Figs. 1-8 (off
Durban).
28
Teeth 31; pectoral radials 148, total vertebral centra 112, total
diplospondylous centra 68; intestinal valve turns 25; oral papillae 2. Disc
somewhat wider than long, largely naked, with minute denticles on head
and abdomen, a narrow medial belt of flattened denticles with lateral
extensions on scapular region, and a continuous line of enlarged, middorsal denticles from level of spiracles to sting; anterior part of tail
covered with large flattened denticles; small flattened and pointed
denticles behind sting; tail length less than twice disc.
Colour brown above, white below, rear margins of disc
with light band and dark spots above , tan band below; tail