New 🐟 Mercury Safety Guide & Omega-3 Rankings Updated for 2026. View Omega-3 Rankings →

🌊 Marine Least Concern 🎣 Game Fish 🌡️ Subtropical 🎣 Game Fish

Eastern fiddler ray

Trygonorrhina fasciata Müller & Henle, 1841
Max Length
120 cm
Max Weight
6.7 kg
Lifespan
-
Trophic Level
3.7
Depth
0–100 m
Climate
Subtropical
Resilience
Low
Vulnerability
64.00/100
Typical Length
-
Depth Zone
demersal

📖 Overview

A benthic species and an active scavenger which will enter fish traps and often becoming ensnared by the disc . Found also on sandy bottoms and seagrass areas, often near rocky reefs . Mainly feeds on crabs and shrimps . Ovoviviparous with golden egg capsules, each with up to 3 embryos . Produces up to 2-3 pups. Length size seldom exceeds 110 cm TL; birth size at ca. 25 cm TL . The flesh is good to eat, although only a small quantity is sold in seafood outlets .

Scientific Name
Trygonorrhina fasciata
Authority
Müller & Henle, 1841
Habitat
Marine
Climate
Subtropical
Body Shape
Other
IUCN Status
LC
Max Length
120 cm
Max Weight
6.7 kg
Depth Range
0–100 m
Trophic Level
3.7
Resilience
Low
Vulnerability
64.00/100
Salinity
30–40 ppt

🐟 Physical Description

This large shovelnose ray is distinguished by the following characters: suboval disc, short and broadly rounded snout with nostrils partly covered with a large nasal curtain; sharp thorns present on mid-line of disc and shoulders; behind interorbital space is an ornate pattern of dark-edged bands with distinct triangular or diamond-shaped marking .: other; Cross section: flattened.

🌀 Behaviour

Behavioural data for Eastern fiddler ray is currently being reviewed.

🦐 Diet

aquatic invertebrates
small fish
algae
detritus

🥚 Reproduction

🐣 Oviparous 📦 Batch Spawner
Spawning Season
spring-summer
Spawn Location
Pelagic
Fertilization
External

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 .

🌍 Habitat & Distribution

Marine; demersal; depth range 0 - 100 m . Subtropical; 28°S - 38°S, 149°E - 155°E Southwest Pacific: endemic to eastern Australia.

🌿 Ecology

Zone Preferences
🌊 Marine ⬇️ Benthic
Trophic Level
3.7±0.6
Food Items

crabs and shrimps (Ref

📐 Morphometrics

Length–Weight Relationship: W = 0.00724 × L3 (TL)
Max TL
120cm
Max Weight
6,700g

🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance

Salinity Range
30–40ppt

🛡️ Conservation Assessment

IUCN Category
Least Concern
Assessment Date
2015

📊 Population Risk & Fisheries

Population Resilience
Low
Minimum doubling time
Fishing Vulnerability
64.00/100
High vulnerability
Trophic Level
3.7
Predator
Body Shape
Other
Climate Zone
Subtropical
Described By
Müller & Henle, 1841

🎣 Angling Guide

Difficulty
Beginner
Fight Rating
strong pulls with head-shakes
Best Seasons
spring,summer,fall
Best Time
incoming tide, dawn and dusk
Line Weight
15-30
Rod Type
medium-heavy spinning
Hook Size
2/0-5/0
Catch & Release
✓ Recommended
Best Months
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Techniques
bottom fishing popping cork soft plastics live bait
Bait & Lures
live shrimp cut mullet soft plastic paddle-tails popping corks
Recommended Tackle
  • medium-heavy 7ft spinning rod
  • 30-50 lb braid
  • fluorocarbon leader
Where to Find Them
  • grass flats
  • oyster bars
  • marsh drains
  • deeper channel edges
Tips & Tricks
Popping cork technique attracts fish from distance. Fish moving tides.
Catch & Release Tips

Use barbless hooks, minimise air exposure, and revive fish head-first in current before release.

Regulations Summary

⚠️ Slot limits protect breeding-size fish. Verify daily bag limits.

📊 Population Dynamics

Year Region Index Notes
- - -

🌐 Names & Taxonomy

Language Common Names
🇬🇧English Banjo Ray · Banjo Shark · Eastern Fiddler Ray · Fiddler · Fiddler Ray · Green Skate · Paritt · Parrit
🌍CES pilohřbet pruhovaný
🇩🇪German Gestreifter Geigenrochen
🇫🇮Finnish juovabanjorausku
🇮🇹Italian Pesce chitarra fasciato · Pesce violino fasciato
🇯🇵Japanese バイオリンサカタザメ
🇳🇱Dutch Zuidelijke vioolrog
🇵🇹Portuguese Raia-viola-listrada-do-leste
🇷🇺Russian Полосатый рохлевый скат
🇪🇸Spanish Raya violinista oriental

Scientific Synonyms

Scientific Name Author Year Status
Trygonorhina fasciata Müller & Henle 1841 Synonym
Trygonorhina fasciata guanerius Whitley 1932 Synonym
Trygonorhina guanerius Whitley 1932 Synonym
Trygonorrhina guaneria Whitley 1932 Synonym

🗺️ Global Occurrence Map

Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 2 records indexed .

Occurrence density from GBIF View GBIF records ↗

👥 Community & Contribute

Aquareap Community Observations
0 Observations logged on Aquareap

No observations yet - be the first to log one!

View all observations for Eastern fiddler ray ↗
Suggest an Edit

Spotted incorrect or outdated data? Submit a correction and our editorial team will review it. Approved edits go live within 48 hours.

Link to a scientific paper, FishBase, or other authoritative source
Report an Issue

Found a factual error, broken data, or inappropriate content? Let us know and we will investigate promptly.