| Aetobatidae (Pacific eagle rays) |
| 300 cm WD (male/unsexed); max.weight: 200 kg |
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benthopelagic; brackish; marine; depth range 1 - 100 m |
| Indo-Pacific: East Africa, including the Red Sea to Hawaiian Islands and French Polynesia. |
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This large species is distinguished by the following characters: dorsal surfaces with a dark greenish grey base coloration, variably white spotted, rarely ocellated; different NADH2 gene structure; relatively long tail with mean total length 281% DW, mean anterior cloaca to tail tip 230.2% DW; stinging spines relatively long with mean length of first spine 9.7%DW; teeth plates are in a single row, those in the lower jaw chevron-shaped; pectoral fin radials about 102-116, excluding proterygial radials anterior of eyes; 99-101 total vertebral centra, including synarcual (Ref. 84291). |
| Found in coastal waters (Ref. 45255), including estuarine habitats (Ref. 89467). Can grow over 3 m disc width and up to 880 cm total length if the long tail is undamaged (Ref. 30573). Feeds mainly on hard-shelled bottom-dwelling invertebrates such as hermit crabs, whelks, oysters, clams and large molluscs (Ref. 9862, 114953), crustraceans, worms, octopuses and fishes (Ref. 89467). Ovoviviparous (Ref. 50449). Size at maturity for males 100-130 cm WD, females ca. 150-160 cm WD and size at birth highly variable 18 cm to at least 50 cm WD. Females produce litters up to 10 pups, usually 4 or less (Ref. 114953). Common catch of the demersal tangle net, bottom trawl, inshore gillnet and, to a lesser extent, demersal longline fisheries. Utilized for its meat and cartilage (Ref. 58048). Tail used as a decorative item (Ref. 27550). Flesh edible (Ref. 30573). |
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Vulnerable (VU); Date assessed: 11 May 2015 (A2bd) Ref. (130435)
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| traumatogenic |
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