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Common Stingaree
Trygonoptera testacea Müller & Henle, 1841
A Common Stingaree at a depth of 14m at South West Solitary Island, New South Wales, August 2000. View larger image.
The Common Stingaree is dark brown to grey above and white below. It has a small dorsal fin, one or two strong, venomous spines on the tail, and a leaf-shaped caudal fin. The shape of the caudal fin is one of the characteristics which separate the stingarees (family Urolophidae) from the other rays including the stingrays (family Dasyatididae) and the skates (family Rajidae).
This species grows to 47cm in length.
The Common Stingaree is most often observed in shallow coastal estuaries and reefs. It is recorded from southern Queensland to southern New South Wales.
At least six species of stingarees are known to live along the New South Wales coast. They can be very difficult to identify without a specimen. (More information on why museums keep specimens).
Further reading
- Kuiter, R.H. 1996. Guide to Sea Fishes of Australia. New Holland. Pp. 433.
- Kuiter, R.H. 2000. Coastal Fishes of South-eastern Australia. Gary Allen. Pp. 437.
- Last, P.R. & ; J.D. Stevens. 1994 Sharks and Rays of Australia. CSIRO. Pp. 513.
