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Maculabatis toshi (Whitley, 1939) Black-spotted whipray |
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photo by
FAO |
| Family: | Dasyatidae (Stingrays), subfamily: Urogymninae | |||
| Max. size: | 86 cm WD (male/unsexed) | |||
| Environment: | demersal; marine; depth range 10 - 140 m | |||
| Distribution: | Western Pacific: Australia and Papua New Guinea. This species has been misidentified by most ichthyologists as a color form of Himantura uarnak (Ref. 6871). Also Ref. 114953. | |||
| Diagnosis: | ||||
| Biology: | Demersal on soft bottoms on the continental shelf at depths of 10-140m (Ref.58048). Juveniles (20-22 cm WD) are free swimming. Feeds on prawns, small fishes and crustaceans (Ref. 9840). Ovoviviparous (Ref. 50449). Common by-catch of bottom trawl and beach seine fisheries in the Arafura Sea. Utilized for its meat, skin (high value) and cartilage (Ref.58048). | |||
| IUCN Red List Status: | Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 12 May 2015 Ref. (130435) | |||
| Threat to humans: | harmless | |||