KEY TO SPECIES
la Disc oval, longer than wide, with bright blue spots......... T. lymma
Ib Disc circular, with black spots and blotches .......... T. melanospilos
30.13 Taeniura /ymma
(Forsskal, 1775)
PLATE 6
Bluespotted ribbontailray
Bloukol-lintstertrog
Raja lymma ForssUI, 1775: 17 (Red Sea). Taeniura lymma: Smith,
SFSA No. 78*; Wallace, 1967: 31*.
Tooth rows 15-24 in each jaw; intestinal valve turns 18; oral papillae 2.
Disc naked in young, mid-dorsal area with small denticles in adults; tail
length when intact less than twice disc length.
Disc grey-brown or yellow-brown above, white below,
disc with light margin and bright blue spots, tail with blue
lateral stripes. Maximum disc width possibly 95 cm, length
possibly to 243 cm. Indo-West Pacific, Red Sea and south to
Natal; common in Zululand.
30.14 Taeniura me/anospi/os
Bleeker, 1853
Round ribbontailray
Ronde lintstertrog
Taeniura melanospilos Bleeker, 1853: 513 (Batavia, Java). Taeniura
melanospila: Smith, 1952: 1021*; 1955: 5*; 1961: 513, No. 78a*; Wallace,
1967: 28*.
Tooth rows ~~~:~; intestinal valve turns 24; oral papillae 4. Disc
(naked in young) uniformly covered with small stellate denticles above, a
mid-dorsal row of small enlarged denticles on disc and tail; tail length
when intact slightly longer than disc.
Disc blue-grey above, white below, with scattered irregular dark spots and blotches, tail without lateral stripes.
Maximum disc width at least 164 cm, length about 3 m,
weight to at least 154 kg. Indo-West Pacific, Red Sea and
south to Natal.
30.14 Taeniura melanospilos: 144 em wide female (Durban).
30: DASY A TIDAE (STINGRAYS)
Genus Urogymnus MOiler & Henle, 1841
One or more species in the eastern Atlantic and IndoWest Pacific, apparently 1 species in our area.
30.15 Urogymnus asperrimus
(Bloch & Schneider, 1801)
Porcupineray
Penrog
Raja asperrima Bloch & Schneider, 1801: 367 (Bombay, India). ?Raja
africana Bloch & Schneider, 1801: 367 (Guinea). Urogymnus africanus:
Smith, 1952: 225; 1961: 514, No. 82a.
Tooth rows about 48 in each jaw; 3-5 oral papillae. Disc thick, with large
flat denticles in young; adults and subadults also with small pointed
denticles and large, conical thorns, tail about as long as disc.
Disc light grey or whitish above, white below, tail tip
blackish. Maximum disc width at least 100 cm. Indo-West
Pacific and south to Natal. Possibly more than 1 species involved; rare, more wanted.
30.15 Urogymnus asperrimus: 94 em wide (Kenya).
Genus Urotrygon Gill, 1864
Several species, 1 in our area.
30.16 Urotrygon daviesi
Wallace, 1967
Deepwater stingray
Diepwater-pylstert
Urotrygon daviesi Wallace, 1967: Figs. 3 & 4 (off Limpopo River
mouth, southern Mozambique; 44 - 440 m); Clarke, 1972: 312.
Teeth ~. Snout pointed, moderately elongated; lateral edges of disc
broadly rounded; almost entire dorsal surface and most of ventral surface
in adults (but not young) covered with small, close-set, pointed denticles.
141
la Disc oval, longer than wide, with bright blue spots......... T. lymma
Ib Disc circular, with black spots and blotches .......... T. melanospilos
30.13 Taeniura /ymma
(Forsskal, 1775)
PLATE 6
Bluespotted ribbontailray
Bloukol-lintstertrog
Raja lymma ForssUI, 1775: 17 (Red Sea). Taeniura lymma: Smith,
SFSA No. 78*; Wallace, 1967: 31*.
Tooth rows 15-24 in each jaw; intestinal valve turns 18; oral papillae 2.
Disc naked in young, mid-dorsal area with small denticles in adults; tail
length when intact less than twice disc length.
Disc grey-brown or yellow-brown above, white below,
disc with light margin and bright blue spots, tail with blue
lateral stripes. Maximum disc width possibly 95 cm, length
possibly to 243 cm. Indo-West Pacific, Red Sea and south to
Natal; common in Zululand.
30.14 Taeniura me/anospi/os
Bleeker, 1853
Round ribbontailray
Ronde lintstertrog
Taeniura melanospilos Bleeker, 1853: 513 (Batavia, Java). Taeniura
melanospila: Smith, 1952: 1021*; 1955: 5*; 1961: 513, No. 78a*; Wallace,
1967: 28*.
Tooth rows ~~~:~; intestinal valve turns 24; oral papillae 4. Disc
(naked in young) uniformly covered with small stellate denticles above, a
mid-dorsal row of small enlarged denticles on disc and tail; tail length
when intact slightly longer than disc.
Disc blue-grey above, white below, with scattered irregular dark spots and blotches, tail without lateral stripes.
Maximum disc width at least 164 cm, length about 3 m,
weight to at least 154 kg. Indo-West Pacific, Red Sea and
south to Natal.
30.14 Taeniura melanospilos: 144 em wide female (Durban).
30: DASY A TIDAE (STINGRAYS)
Genus Urogymnus MOiler & Henle, 1841
One or more species in the eastern Atlantic and IndoWest Pacific, apparently 1 species in our area.
30.15 Urogymnus asperrimus
(Bloch & Schneider, 1801)
Porcupineray
Penrog
Raja asperrima Bloch & Schneider, 1801: 367 (Bombay, India). ?Raja
africana Bloch & Schneider, 1801: 367 (Guinea). Urogymnus africanus:
Smith, 1952: 225; 1961: 514, No. 82a.
Tooth rows about 48 in each jaw; 3-5 oral papillae. Disc thick, with large
flat denticles in young; adults and subadults also with small pointed
denticles and large, conical thorns, tail about as long as disc.
Disc light grey or whitish above, white below, tail tip
blackish. Maximum disc width at least 100 cm. Indo-West
Pacific and south to Natal. Possibly more than 1 species involved; rare, more wanted.
30.15 Urogymnus asperrimus: 94 em wide (Kenya).
Genus Urotrygon Gill, 1864
Several species, 1 in our area.
30.16 Urotrygon daviesi
Wallace, 1967
Deepwater stingray
Diepwater-pylstert
Urotrygon daviesi Wallace, 1967: Figs. 3 & 4 (off Limpopo River
mouth, southern Mozambique; 44 - 440 m); Clarke, 1972: 312.
Teeth ~. Snout pointed, moderately elongated; lateral edges of disc
broadly rounded; almost entire dorsal surface and most of ventral surface
in adults (but not young) covered with small, close-set, pointed denticles.
141