General Description

Disc smooth, almost circular to oval, slightly wider than long, with a widely triangular fleshy snout; tail short; caudal fin short; dorsal fin absent. Upper surface grey to yellowish-brown with an intricate pattern of dark bars, stripes and blotches; a dark stripe along middle of disc to serrated spine on tail; mMouth on the underside with many small teeth. Underside pale. To 50 cm.

Biology

A sedentary species, the Banded Stingaree feeds mostly on crustaceans and polychaete worms. Females give birth to live young. They are often seen by divers and taken as bycatch in commercial trawls. They must be handled with great care as the serrated spine is venomous and can inflict a very painful wound.

Habitat

Shallow coastal waters, often on muddy or sandy bottoms near the entrance to bays and estuaries, in depths to 210 m.

Soft substrates

Distribution guide

South-eastern Australia.

Species Group

Sharks and rays › Stingrays, stingarees and allies

Depth

Shallow (1-30 m)
Deep ( > 30 m)

Water Column

On or near sea floor

Max Size

50 cm

Diet

Carnivore

Harmful

The venomous barb on the tail can cause a painful injury.

Commercial Species

No

Global Dispersal

Native to Australia

Conservation Status

• DSE Advisory List : Not listed
• EPBC Act 1999 : Not listed
• IUCN Red List : Not listed