Bluespotted maskray
📖 Overview
This demersal fish occurs inshore to mid-continental and insular shelves. Males mature at 31 cm DW and individuals born ca 17 cm DW .
🔬 Taxonomy
🐟 Physical Description
This large species of the kuhlii-complex (reaching at least 47 cm DW; males maturing at 31 cm DW) is distinguished by the following set of characters: disc is much broader than long, width 1.2-1.3 times length; pectoral apices are abruptly angular; snout fleshy, broadly rounded to obtuse, with angle 125-130°, its length 1.8-2.4 times interorbital width; maximum width is relatively well forward on disc, length from snout tip to pectoral-fin insertion 1.9-2 times and disc width 2.6-2.9 times horizontal distance from snout tip to maximum disc width; preoral length 1.6-2.3 times mouth width; internasal distance 1.4-1.8 in prenasal length; interspiracular distance 13-14% DW; nostril length 2.5-3.5% DW; nasal curtain width 8-9.4% DW; small mouth, its width 6.6-7.9% DW; horizontal distance from cloaca to caudal sting base 51-56% of disc length; thornlets are present in nuchal and lumbar regions in large individuals, but none from tail in all sizes; dermal denticles are entirely absent from body; pectoral-fin radials 105-110; total vertebral centra (including synarcual) 133-142, trunk centra (including synarcual) 38-43; blue spots are medium-sized, largest spot on disc 0.5-0.8 times eye width; with 0-3 (mean 0.8) blue spots on medial belt, largest 1.7-2.7% DW; mask-like marking dark, not covered with dark peppery spots; ventral surface of disc and pelvic fins are with sharply defined dark greyish brown submarginal bands; dark ventral tail before caudal sting; ventral tail fold is almost entirely dark in young .: other; Cross section: flattened.
🌀 Behaviour
Behavioural data for Bluespotted maskray is currently being reviewed.
🦐 Diet
🥚 Reproduction
🌍 Habitat & Distribution
Marine; reef-associated. Tropical Indian Ocean: southern Indonesia and possibly westward to Africa.
🌿 Ecology
📐 Morphometrics
🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance
🛡️ Conservation Assessment
📊 Population Risk & Fisheries
🔍 Similar Species
👥 Community & Contribute
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