Black Stingray, Dasyatis thetidis Ogilby, 1899

ANIMAL SPECIES:Black Stingray, Dasyatis thetidis Ogilby, 1899

The Black Stingray is is one of the largest species of stingrays in Australia and gets it's name from an even grey-brown to black colour.

Identification

The Black Stingray is one of the largest species of stingrays in Australia. It is an even grey-brown to black colour. It has a rhomboidal-shaped disc, usually one stinging spine, a granular upper surface and sharp thorns along the dorsal midline.

It is often confused with the Smooth Stingray, Dasyatis brevicaudata, which has a shorter tail, small white spots on the flaps beside the head, and no thorns on the back.

Size range

It grows to 1.8 m in disc width and 4 m total length.

Distribution

The Black Stingray is recorded from coastal and offshore waters of south-eastern Africa, Australia and New Zealand. In Australia it is known from northern New South Wales around the south of the country and north to the central coast of Western Australia.

Distribution by collection data

Biomaps map of Black Stingray specimens in the Australian Museum collection.

What does this mean?

Classification

Species:: thetidis
Genus:: Dasyatis
Family:: Dasyatidae
Order:: Myliobatiformes
Class:: Chondrichthyes
Subphylum:: Vertebrata
Phylum:: Chordata
Kingdom:: Animalia

What does this mean?

References

Hutchins, B. & R. Swainston. 1986. Sea Fishes of Southern Australia. Complete Field Guide for Anglers and Divers. Swainston Publishing. Pp. 180.
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.

Mark McGrouther , Collection Manager, Ichthyology
Last Updated: 18 November 2010

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