Latin name

Taeniurops meyeni

Other name

Blotched fantail ray

Identification

The pectoral fins of these rays fuse with the head to form a thick oval disc that is wider than it is long. The anterior margin is broadly rounded and the snout is blunt. Behind the medium-sized eyes are large spatulae. On the ventral surface of the disc are 5 pairs of gill slits, a mouth and oval nostrils. Between the nostrils is a narrow flap of skin with a slightly fringed lower edge. The corners of the mouth, which are curved in a wide arc, have small prominent furrows. There are 7 protuberances on the floor of the mouth, the outer two being smaller and set back from the others. The mouth has 37-46 upper and 39-45 lower rows of teeth. The teeth are staggered to form a flat surface.

Features of fish fins

The pelvic fins are small and narrow. The short tail does not exceed the length of the vertebral column. On the dorsal surface of the tail there is one, or rarely two, serrated spines connected by ducts to the venom gland. Behind the spine, the tail tapers rapidly and there is a ventral fold of skin that extends to the tip of the tail.

Fish colouring

The dorsal skin is evenly but loosely covered with small granules. There are 3 rows of sharp plaques along the spine, the outer rows being shorter than the middle row. The colour is light or dark grey, sometimes with a purplish tinge, which becomes more intense at the edges of the disc. The skin is mottled with numerous dark and white spots and irregularly shaped spots. Behind the spike, the tail, including the ventral skin fold, is black. The ventral surface of the belly is white or cream with spots, the edges are dark. Juvenile rays are less variegated than adults. 

Distribution

Widespread in the tropical coastal waters of the Indo-Pacific. In the Indian Ocean they are found from KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, further north along the east coast of Africa to the Red Sea, from where their range extends along the Indian Ocean to south-east Asia, including the waters around Madagascar and the Mascarene Islands. They are caught off the coasts of Korea, Japan and Australia (Western Australia to Stradbroke Island, Queensland, including Lord Howe Island). In the eastern Pacific, these rays are found off the Cocos and Galapagos Islands, and there are sporadic reports of their presence off Central America. 

Habitat

A bottom dweller, the ribbontail ray is found close to the shore at depths of 20 to 60 metres, although it is sometimes caught in the surf zone and at depths of up to 439 metres (some reports say up to 500 metres). They prefer sandy or pebbly bottoms near coral and rocky reefs and swim into river mouths.

Size

It is one of the largest tail whales, with a maximum recorded dorsal width of 1.8 m, a body length of 3.3 m and a mass of 150 kg.

Behavior

They are nocturnal. During the day they usually lie motionless on the bottom in caves, under coral reefs and other shelters. These rays are kept both individually and in groups. When threatened, they raise their tail above the disc, exposing the spine, and make a wave-like movement back and forth. 

Food and feeding habits

In search of molluscs, polychaetes, shrimps, crabs and small bottom-dwelling fish, stingrays adopt a characteristic position: they press the edges of the disc firmly to the bottom and, using the water pumped through their mouths under the disc, "wash" buried prey out of the sand.

Reproduction

Not much is known about the biology of these rays. Like other stingrays, they are oviparous. Embryos develop in the womb and feed on egg yolk and histotrophs. Off the Cocos Islands, mass aggregations of Taeniura meyeni are observed shortly after the arrival of La Niña, which causes a cold spell. During this time, a single female may be followed by several dozen males. There are up to 7 newborns in a litter with a disc 33-35 cm wide and about 67 cm long. On the coast of South Africa, births occur in summer. Males reach sexual maturity at a disc width of 1-1.1 m. No data are available for females.

Fishing

This species is targeted by commercial and artisanal fisheries and is also caught as by-catch in longline and trawl fisheries. The species suffers from habitat degradation and poaching. The meat is used as food in South East Asian countries. These rays are prized by recreational fishermen, and in South Africa there is a daily catch limit of one per fisherman, as well as a ban on underwater hunting. In the Maldives, the government, recognising the attractiveness of ecotourism, has established marine protected areas and imposed a moratorium on the export of stingray skin products. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has listed the species as vulnerable.

Relationship with a person

Ribbontail rays are not aggressive and have been known to approach divers out of curiosity. However, if disturbed, they can inflict a dangerous wound with a venomous sting. At least one fatal case has been recorded when a stingray stung a diver attempting to ride it on horseback. The impressive appearance and size of Taeniura meyeni make them attractive for ecotourism. Attempts have been made to keep them in public aquariums, although they do not do well in captivity and the maximum period of captivity does not exceed 81 days.