Pelagic stingray
📖 Overview
Found in open, tropical and warm temperate waters usually in the first 100 m. Possibly the only totally pelagic member of the family . Feeds on coelenterates (including medusae), squid, decapod crustaceans, and fish. Ovoviviparous . Venomous spine on tail. Common catch of the pelagic tuna (and shark) longline and gillnet fisheries (drift, Ref. 75025) operating throughout the region ; also by purse-seine and bottom trawls . Utilized for its meat and sometimes cartilage. Total length 110 TL (80 cm WD) .
🔬 Taxonomy
🐟 Physical Description
A thick, dark stingray with a broadly rounded snout and an angular pectoral disc; tail less than twice body length with a long lower caudal finfold ending far in front of tail tip, but with no upper finfold; disc without thorns; usually 1 extremely long sting on tail; eyes do not protrude . Uniformly violet, purple, or dark blue-green dorsally and ventrally . No prominent markings .: other.
🌀 Behaviour
Behavioural data for Pelagic stingray is currently being reviewed.
🦐 Diet
The pelagic stingray is an active predator that captures prey by wrapping its pectoral fins around it, before manipulating it to the mouth. It is the only stingray in which both sexes have pointed teeth, for grasping and cutting into slippery prey. A wide variety of organisms are represented in its diet: crustaceans including amphipods, krill, and larval crabs, molluscs including squid, octopus, and pteropods, bony fishes including herring, mackerel, sea horses and filefish, comb jellies and medusae, and polychaete worms. Off California, pelagic stingrays hunt large mating aggregations of squid that form from November to April. Off Brazil, this species follows groups of Atlantic cutlassfish (Trichiurus lepturus) towards the coast in January and February, with both predators seeking small schooling fishes. Juvenile rays consume 6–7% of their body weight in food per day, which declines to just above 1% in adults.
🥚 Reproduction
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 . Distinct pairing with embrace . With 2 to 9 young born at 15-25 cm WD ; after a gestation period of 4 months.
🌍 Habitat & Distribution
Marine; pelagic-oceanic; depth range 1 - 381 m , usually 1 - 100 m . Subtropical; 52°N - 50°S, 180°W - 180°E Indian Ocean.
🌿 Ecology
coelenterates (including medusae), squid, decapod crustaceans, and fish
📐 Morphometrics
🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance
🛡️ Conservation Assessment
📊 Population Risk & Fisheries
🍽️ Edibility & Flavour
"Pelagic stingray is an edible species."
- Clear, bright eyes — cloudy eyes indicate age
- Firm flesh that springs back when pressed
- Fresh ocean smell, never strong or ammonia-like
- Bright red or pink gills, not grey or brown
- Shiny, moist skin with scales tightly attached
- Cloudy or sunken eyes
- Strong fishy or ammonia odour
- Soft, mushy flesh that doesn't spring back
- Discoloured or dry flesh
⚡ Nutrition
Per 100g cooked - Source: USDA FoodData Central
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Protein | 22.8 g |
| Omega-3 (total) | 354 mg |
🔬 Mercury Safety
Mercury data for Pelagic stingray has not yet been assigned. Please consult FDA/EPA guidance for general seafood safety advice.
🌿 Sustainability
🌐 Names & Taxonomy
| Language | Common Names |
|---|---|
| 🇬🇧English | Blue Stingray · Guiler's Stingray · Guilers Stingray · Pelagic stingray · Violet Stingray |
| 🌍CES | trnucha fialová |
| 🇩🇰Danish | Pelagisk pigrokke · Pigrokke · Pilrokke |
| 🇩🇪German | Freiwasser-Stechrochen · Peitschenrochen · Pelagischer Stechrochen · Stechrochen · Violetter Stechrochen |
| 🌍ELL | Γλαυκοτρυγόνα |
| 🇫🇮Finnish | Sinikeihäsrausku · ulappakeihäsrausku |
| 🇫🇷French | Pastenague violette |
| 🌍HEB | טריגון כד-אף |
| 🇮🇹Italian | Pastinaca · Trigone viola · Trigono |
| 🇯🇵Japanese | Karasuei · カラスエイ |
| 🌍MLT | Boll · Boll tork · Boll vjola |
| 🇳🇱Dutch | Violette pijlstaartrog |
| 🇳🇴Norwegian | Pilrokke · Pilskate |
| 🇵🇱Polish | Ogoncza pelagicza · ogończa fioletowa |
| 🇵🇹Portuguese | Raia-pelágica · Raia-violeta · Uge-de-alto-mar · Uge-violeta |
| 🇷🇺Russian | Пелагический скат · Пелагический хвостокол · Синий хвостокол · хвостокол пелагический |
| 🌍SLV | vijoličasti morski bič |
| 🇪🇸Spanish | Pastinaca · Pastinaca violeta · Raya Negra · Raya pelágica · Raya-látigo violeta · Violácea · raya látigo obispo · raya látigo violeta · raya violácea |
| 🌍SRP | Siba zutulja · Volina |
| 🇸🇪Swedish | Stingrocka |
| 🌍THA | ปลากระเบนดำ |
| 🌍TUR | Ignelivatoz · dikenli vatoz · iğneli vatoz · mavi rina balığı · rina · rina baligi |
| 🌍UKR | Морський-кіт пелагічний |
| 🇨🇳Chinese | 土魟 · 紫色翼魟 · 紫魟 |
Scientific Synonyms
| Scientific Name | Author | Year | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dasyatis atratus | Ishiyama & Okada | 1955 | Synonym |
| Dasyatis guileri | Last | 1979 | Synonym |
| Dasyatis purpureus | Müller & Henle | 1841 | Synonym |
| Dasyatis violacea | Bonaparte | 1832 | Synonym |
| Trygon purpurea | Müller & Henle | 1841 | Synonym |
| Trygon violacea | Bonaparte | 1832 | Synonym |
🔍 Similar Species
🗺️ Global Occurrence Map
Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 98 records indexed .
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