Elasmobranchii (sharks and rays) >
Myliobatiformes (Stingrays) >
Dasyatidae (Stingrays) > Urogymninae
Etymology: Himantura: Greek, iman, imantos = thong, strap + Greek, oura = tail (Ref. 45335); australis: Named for the tropical Southern Hemisphere distribution of this species; noun in apposition.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; demersal; depth range ? - 45 m (Ref. 110363). Tropical; 5°S - 29°S, 111°E - 155°E (Ref. 114953)
Distribution
Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri
Western Central Pacific: confined to the Australasian Plate, from off Papua New Guinea and northern Australia, from Shark Bay (off Western Australia) to Brisbane (off Queensland) (Ref. 110363). Also Ref. 114953.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 140.0 cm WD (female)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
This species is distinguished by the following set of characters: the disc is weakly rhomboidal; preorbital snout is moderately short, its length 19-22% DW and rather broad, angle 117-127°, with a distinct apical lobe; lateral apices are narrowly rounded; the orbits moderately large, usually strongly protruding (particularly in young); 1-2, mostly heart-shaped suprascapular denticles which are not preceded before and after by a row of smaller primary denticles; secondary denticle band is developed before birth; dorsal surface of juveniles (smaller than 370 mm DW) are dark spotted or with spots and weak reticulations, subadults and adults (exceeding 390 mm DW) are more strongly reticulated; dorsal tail of juveniles has 3 rows of spots before caudal sting, faint dark saddles beyond sting (no alternating black and white bands on tail); tail uniformly dark ventrally; 146-152 pectoral-fin radials; 123 vertebral centra (excluding synarcual), 24 including synarcual 124 (Ref. 110363)
Depth distribution is not well documented, but this species is primarily in shallow water from near the shore to at least 45 m depth (Ref. 110363). Enters estuaries and brackish water. Most serious injuries to humans come from stingray groups (Ref. 114953). The largest specimen (140 cm WD) is a pregnant female with 2 embryos (30 cm WD) (data not year published); the smallest confirmed adult male is 112 cm WD (Ref. 110363); born at ca. 29 cm WD. Produces litters up to 4 pups (Ref. 114953).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Last, P.R., W.T. White and G. Naylor, 2016. Three new stingrays (Myliobatiformes: Dasyatidae) from the Indo-West Pacific. Zootaxa 4147(4):377-402. (Ref. 110363)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)
Human uses
Fisheries: minor commercial
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Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01023 (0.00486 - 0.02155), b=3.06 (2.87 - 3.25), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.6 ±0.5 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Very high vulnerability (90 of 100).
