Southern Eagle Ray, Myliobatis australis Macleay, 1881

ANIMAL SPECIES:Southern Eagle Ray, Myliobatis australis Macleay, 1881

The Southern Eagle Ray has a blunt snout and eyes on the sides of the head. The species occurs in temperate waters of southern Australia and possibly New Zealand.

Identification

The Southern Eagle Ray has a blunt snout and eyes on the sides of the head. The disc is wider than long and has pointed tips. There is a small dorsal fin followed by a venomous stinging spine on the long whip-like tail.

It is brownish, grey, olive-green or yellowish above and paler below. The upper surface has a variable pattern of grey-blue spots and bars.

Size range

This species grows to 1.2 m in disc width and 2.4 m in total length.

Distribution

The Southern Eagle Ray is known from southern Queensland around the south of the country and north to the south-western coast of Western Australia. It may also occur in New Zealand.

Distribution by collection data

Biomaps map of Southern Eagle Ray specimens in the Australian Museum collection.

What does this mean?

Classification

Species:: australis
Genus:: Myliobatis
Family:: Myliobatidae
Order:: Myliobatiformes
Class:: Chondrichthyes
Subphylum:: Vertebrata
Phylum:: Chordata
Kingdom:: Animalia

What does this mean?

References

Edgar, G.J. 1997. Australian Marine Life: the plants and animals of temperate waters. Reed Books. Pp. 544.
Last, P.R. in Gomon, M.F., Glover, C.J.M. & R.H. Kuiter (Eds). 1994. The Fishes of Australia's South Coast. State Print, Adelaide. Pp. 992.
Hutchins, B. & R. Swainston. 1986. Sea Fishes of Southern Australia. Complete Field Guide for Anglers and Divers. Swainston Publishing. Pp. 180.
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, PR & J.D. Stevens. 1994 Sharks and Rays of Australia. CSIRO. Pp. 513.

Mark McGrouther , Collection Manager, Ichthyology
Last Updated: 6 January 2012

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