Neotrygon trigonoides
Neotrygon trigonoides (Castelnau, 1873)
Coral Sea maskray

Family:  Dasyatidae (Stingrays), subfamily: Neotrygoninae
Max. size:  35 cm WD (male/unsexed)
Environment:  reef-associated; marine
Distribution:  Southwest Pacific: off eastern Australia and New Caledonia.
Diagnosis:  This species is described by the following: a small stingray with a smooth rhombic disc (usually thorns on nape absent); short tail with both dorsal and ventral folds; upper disc with small blue-edged white ocelli and black speckles; distinct mask-like marking around eyes; sides of tail mottled and tip banded; disc is broad, its width ca,1.3 times its length, trunk fleshy; pectoral-fin apex abruptly angular; snout is short, bluntly angular, the tip not extended, the anterior margins almost straight to weakly undulate; eyes large, protruding, length of orbit and spiracle, ca. 1.4 in snout length, the interorbital space subequal to orbit length; mouth is very small, with 2 broad central oral papillae, the labial furrows and folds prominent, the jaws asymmetric; nasal curtain skirt-shaped, rather narrow, the margin concave, strongly fringed; nostrils narrow; skin often lacking denticles and thorns; tail firm, broad based and depressed slightly anteriorly, tapering gradually to caudal sting, it is slender, almost rounded below sting, flattened posteriorly (not long and whip-like), the length slightly longer than DW, with usually 1 caudal sting, its ventral fold low, elongate, base ca.1.5 times distance from snout to 5th gill slit, the dorsal fold short based, lower than ventral fold; pelvic fins are large, the apices rather pointed (Ref. 114953).
Biology: 
IUCN Red List Status: Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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