Neotrygon caeruleopunctata Last, White & Serét, 2016
Bluespotted maskray

Family:  Dasyatidae (Stingrays), subfamily: Neotrygoninae
Max. size:  45 cm WD (male/unsexed); 47.1 cm WD (female)
Environment:  reef-associated; marine
Distribution:  Indian Ocean: southern Indonesia and possibly westward to Africa.
Diagnosis:  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 (Ref. 116741).
Biology:  This demersal fish occurs inshore to mid-continental and insular shelves. Males mature at 31 cm DW and individuals born ca 17 cm DW (Ref. 114953).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 30 September 2020 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless
Country info:   
 


Source and more info: www.fishbase.org. For personal, classroom, and other internal use only. Not for publication.