30: DASY ATIDAE (STINGRAYS)
Cape to Mozambique ; Indo-West Pacific from Red Sea and
southern Africa (also in eastern Mediterranean as an
invader through the Suez Canal) east to Philippines,
Australia, Melanesia and Polynesia. Common off sandy
beaches and in shallow estuaries and lagoons; frequently
taken by shore and boat anglers but not esteemed as food.
Feeds on bivalves, crabs, shrimp and worms.
)
~
N
30.10 Himantura uarnak: 33.5 em wide (Natal).
30.11 Himantura sp.
Roundnose stingray
Rondneus-pylstert
Dasyatis purpureus (non Smith, 1841): Wallace, 1967: 50*. Himantura
sp. Compagno & Heemstra, 1984: 6.
25-34
.
Teeth 25-31; pectoral radials 156-159; total vertebral centra 123-125,
30.11 Himantura sp.: 77 cm wide female (Durban).
140
total diplospondylous centra 67-69; intestinal valve turns 28; oral papillae
4. Disc slightly wider than long, mostly naked, with a midbelt of very small
denticles extending onto tailbase; tail length when intact slightly over
twice disc length.
Disc black to grey-blue above, white below; tail not
banded. Maximum disc width at least 109 cm, length to
about 2.8 m, weight to about 40 kg. Durban Bay, possibly
identical to H. fai Jordan & Seale, 1906 from Samoa. Uncommon, more specimens wanted.
Genus Hypolophus Muller & Henle, 1841
A single species confined to the Indian Ocean and western Pacific.
.
30.12 Hypolophus sephen
(Forsskal,1775)
Feathertail stingray
Veerstert -pylstert
Raja sephen Forsskiil, 1775: 17 (Red Sea). Dasyatis sephen: Smith,
1957: 431 *; Smith, 1961: 565, No. 79c*; Wallace, 1967: 42*.
Tooth rows about 20 in each jaw. Disc slightly wider than long, covered
with small denticles in adults but partly or entirely naked in young; tailless
than twice disc length.
Disc dark brown or black above, white below, tail black,
no conspicuous markings. Maximum disc width possibly
183 cm, length over 3 m? A single specimen from Zululand;
more wanted. South Africa and the Red Sea to Indonesia,
Philippines, Australia, Micronesia and Melanesia; occurs in
freshwater far from the sea.
30.12 Hyp%phus sephen: 45 em wide female (Natal; also after Day, 1878
and Wallace, 1967).
Genus Taeniura Muller & Henle, 1841
A genus of 4 species in the eastern Atlantic, Indian Ocean
and western Pacific; 2 species in our area.
Cape to Mozambique ; Indo-West Pacific from Red Sea and
southern Africa (also in eastern Mediterranean as an
invader through the Suez Canal) east to Philippines,
Australia, Melanesia and Polynesia. Common off sandy
beaches and in shallow estuaries and lagoons; frequently
taken by shore and boat anglers but not esteemed as food.
Feeds on bivalves, crabs, shrimp and worms.
)
~
N
30.10 Himantura uarnak: 33.5 em wide (Natal).
30.11 Himantura sp.
Roundnose stingray
Rondneus-pylstert
Dasyatis purpureus (non Smith, 1841): Wallace, 1967: 50*. Himantura
sp. Compagno & Heemstra, 1984: 6.
25-34
.
Teeth 25-31; pectoral radials 156-159; total vertebral centra 123-125,
30.11 Himantura sp.: 77 cm wide female (Durban).
140
total diplospondylous centra 67-69; intestinal valve turns 28; oral papillae
4. Disc slightly wider than long, mostly naked, with a midbelt of very small
denticles extending onto tailbase; tail length when intact slightly over
twice disc length.
Disc black to grey-blue above, white below; tail not
banded. Maximum disc width at least 109 cm, length to
about 2.8 m, weight to about 40 kg. Durban Bay, possibly
identical to H. fai Jordan & Seale, 1906 from Samoa. Uncommon, more specimens wanted.
Genus Hypolophus Muller & Henle, 1841
A single species confined to the Indian Ocean and western Pacific.
.
30.12 Hypolophus sephen
(Forsskal,1775)
Feathertail stingray
Veerstert -pylstert
Raja sephen Forsskiil, 1775: 17 (Red Sea). Dasyatis sephen: Smith,
1957: 431 *; Smith, 1961: 565, No. 79c*; Wallace, 1967: 42*.
Tooth rows about 20 in each jaw. Disc slightly wider than long, covered
with small denticles in adults but partly or entirely naked in young; tailless
than twice disc length.
Disc dark brown or black above, white below, tail black,
no conspicuous markings. Maximum disc width possibly
183 cm, length over 3 m? A single specimen from Zululand;
more wanted. South Africa and the Red Sea to Indonesia,
Philippines, Australia, Micronesia and Melanesia; occurs in
freshwater far from the sea.
30.12 Hyp%phus sephen: 45 em wide female (Natal; also after Day, 1878
and Wallace, 1967).
Genus Taeniura Muller & Henle, 1841
A genus of 4 species in the eastern Atlantic, Indian Ocean
and western Pacific; 2 species in our area.