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Pastinachus sephen (Fabricius, 1775)
Cowtail stingray
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| Native range | All suitable habitat | Point map | Year 2050 |
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| This map was computer-generated and has not yet been reviewed. |
| Pastinachus sephen AquaMaps Data sources: GBIF OBIS |
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Pastinachus sephen
Picture by Randall, J.E.
Pictures | Videos | Google image
Picture by Randall, J.E.
Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa
Elasmobranchii (sharks and rays) > Myliobatiformes (Stingrays) > Dasyatidae (Stingrays) > Hypolophinae
Etymology: Pastinachus: Latin, pastinaca = a sting ray (Ref. 45335).
Etymology: Pastinachus: Latin, pastinaca = a sting ray (Ref. 45335).
Issue
This species which is similar to Pastinachus ater, an Indo-West Pacific species, is found only in Northwestern Indian Ocean. Erroneous information will be deleted.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecology
Marine; freshwater; brackish; reef-associated; amphidromous (Ref. 51243); depth range 0 - 60 m (Ref. 6871). Tropical
Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri
Northwestern Indian Ocean: Red Sea to Pakistan.
Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm 98.0, range 96 - 100 cm
Max length : 183 cm WD male/unsexed; (Ref. 37816); common length : 65.0 cm WD male/unsexed; (Ref. 27550)
Max length : 183 cm WD male/unsexed; (Ref. 37816); common length : 65.0 cm WD male/unsexed; (Ref. 27550)
Short description Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Dorsal spines (total): 0. A large, plain, dark stingray with an angular snout and pectoral disc; tail long and broad-based, less than twice body length, and with no upper caudal finfold but with high lower caudal finfold- 2 to 3 times depth of tail but not reaching tail tip; no large thorns; 1 or 2 long stings on tail, further behind tail base than in most stingrays; unique hexagonal, high-crowned teeth (Ref. 5578). Dark brown or black dorsally without conspicuous markings, white ventrally (Ref. 5578). Tail black (Ref. 3263).
Found in lagoons, reef flats, and reef faces (Ref. 12951). Also in rivers far from the sea (Ref. 5578). Feeds on bony fishes, worms, shrimp, and crabs (Ref. 12951). Ovoviviparous (Ref. 50449). Adults are sometimes accompanied by remoras or members of the trevally family (Ref. 6871). Size at birth about 18 cm WD or larger (Ref. 6871). Flesh utilized as food and skin used for polishing wood (Ref. 4832). Possibly caught by sports anglers (Ref. 5578). Recently there is a targeted fishery on this species for its skin, which is used as 'shagreen' in fashion accessories, from wallets to fancy pens; as a result, the species is in danger of disappearance (IHT 26.11.2005, p.5). Maximum length about 300 cm TL (Ref. 30573).
Life cycle and mating behavior Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Exhibit ovoviparity (aplacental viviparity), with embryos feeding initially on yolk, then receiving additional nourishment from the mother by indirect absorption of uterine fluid enriched with mucus, fat or protein through specialised structures (Ref. 50449). Distinct pairing with embrace (Ref. 205). Size at birth ~ 18 cm WD (Ref.58048).
Main reference
Upload your references | References | Coordinator : McEachran, John | Collaborators
Last, P.R. and J.D. Stevens, 1994. Sharks and rays of Australia. CSIRO, Australia. 513 p. (Ref. 6871)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-2)
Near Threatened (NT) (A2d+3d); Date assessed: 07 February 2017
CITES
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Venomous
Human uses
Fisheries: minor commercial; aquarium: commercial
FAO - Publication: search | FishSource |
More information
Population dynamics
Growth parameters
Max. ages / sizes
Length-weight rel.
Length-length rel.
Length-frequencies
Mass conversion
Recruitment
Abundance
Growth parameters
Max. ages / sizes
Length-weight rel.
Length-length rel.
Length-frequencies
Mass conversion
Recruitment
Abundance
Life cycle
Reproduction
Maturity
Maturity/Gills rel.
Fecundity
Spawning
Spawning aggregations
Eggs
Egg development
Larvae
Larval dynamics
Reproduction
Maturity
Maturity/Gills rel.
Fecundity
Spawning
Spawning aggregations
Eggs
Egg development
Larvae
Larval dynamics
Physiology
Body composition
Nutrients
Oxygen consumption
Swimming type
Swimming speed
Visual pigments
Fish sound
Diseases & Parasites
Toxicity (LC50s)
Body composition
Nutrients
Oxygen consumption
Swimming type
Swimming speed
Visual pigments
Fish sound
Diseases & Parasites
Toxicity (LC50s)
Genetics
Genetics
Heterozygosity
Heritability
Genetics
Heterozygosity
Heritability
Human related
Aquaculture systems
Aquaculture profiles
Strains
Ciguatera cases
Stamps, coins, misc.
Aquaculture systems
Aquaculture profiles
Strains
Ciguatera cases
Stamps, coins, misc.
Tools
E-book | Field guide | Identification keys | Length-frequency wizard | Life-history tool | Point map | Classification Tree
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Special reports
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Internet sources
AFORO (otoliths) | Aquatic Commons | BHL | Cloffa | BOLDSystems | Websites from users | Check FishWatcher | CISTI | Catalog of Fishes: genus, species | DiscoverLife | ECOTOX | FAO - Publication: search | Faunafri | Fishipedia | Fishtrace | GenBank: genome, nucleotide | GloBI | Google Books | Google Scholar | Google | IGFA World Record | MitoFish | Otolith Atlas of Taiwan Fishes | PubMed | Reef Life Survey | Socotra Atlas | Tree of Life | Wikipedia: Go, Search | World Records Freshwater Fishing | Zoological Record
Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature (Ref. 123201): 24.7 - 29.1, mean 28.2 °C (based on 1694 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82804): PD50 = 0.5312 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01000 (0.00244 - 0.04107), b=3.04 (2.81 - 3.27), in cm total length, based on all LWR estimates for this body shape (Ref. 93245).
Trophic level (Ref. 69278): 3.7 ±0.60 se; based on food items.
Resilience (Ref. 120179): Very Low, minimum population doubling time more than 14 years (Assuming Fec<10).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref. 59153): Very high vulnerability (90 of 100).
Nutrients (Ref. 124155): Calcium = 8.51 [1.64, 34.97] mg/100g; Iron = 0.364 [0.085, 0.964] mg/100g; Protein = 22.9 [19.9, 26.0] %; Omega3 = 0.102 [0.029, 0.298] g/100g; Selenium = 31.4 [9.0, 84.2] μg/100g; VitaminA = 33 [12, 99] μg/100g; Zinc = 0.851 [0.416, 1.706] mg/100g (wet weight);