General Description

Body flattened with an oval to diamond-shaped disc; snout short, broadly triangular; a row of large thorn-like denticles along middle of disc to first dorsal fin; tail long, broad with two dorsal fins of similar size, upper tail lobe well-developed, lower lobe short. Upper surface yellowish to brown with dark-edged greyish bands radiating from eyes and on either sides of middle of back; underside pale. Born at up to 25 cm, adults usually 80 cm long head to tail tip, up to 150 cm.

Biology

This species is common in coastal waters and is often seen foraging over sand flats and seagrass beds feeding on fishes and invertebrates. Females give birth to up to six live young which develop inside their mother in eggs and hatch before birth. Birth is usually in the autumn after a gestation of 12 months. Southern Fiddler Rays are taken as bycatch in commercial trawls and sold in small quantities. Intermediate in appearance between sharks and rays, these are primitive rays as their gill slits are positioned on the underside of their disk like head. Their tropical relatives are even more shark-like in having better defined pectoral fins. Trygonorrhina dumerilii is easily confused with Trygonorrhina fasciata which is very similar in appearance but occurs only along the east coast.

Distribution

Southern Australia.

Habitat

Coastal waters including over sand flats and seagrass beds, in depths to 120 m.

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