Cowtail Stingray, Pastinachus ater (Macleay 1883)

Other Names: Banana-tail Ray, Bull Ray, Cowtail Ray, Eatern Cowtail Stingray, Fantail Ray, Feathertail Stingray, Guergunna, Weralli

A Cowtail Stingray, Pastinachus ater, at Magnetic Island, Queensland. Source: Andy Lewis / Lizard Island Field Guide, http://lifg.australianmuseum.net.au/. License: CC by Attribution

Summary:

A large uniformly dark stingray that has a long anteriorly-flattened tail with a broad black skin flap and a venomous serrated spine. The disc is slightly wider than long with a dense band of blunt denticles over the centre.

Cowtail Stingrays are commonly found inshore and may even venture far upstream in estuaries. Care must be taken as they can easily bend the long tail up over the back and the serrated spine on the tail may cause a very painful wound.

In Australia, the Cowtail Stingray has previously been referred to as Pastinachus sephen, which does not occur in Australia. Although the specific name has also been spelled as "atrus" in a number of publications, the correct spelling is "ater".

Video of a Cowtail Stingray on the Gold Coast Seaway in southern Queensland.

Cite this page as:

Bray, D.J. 2021, Pastinachus ater in Fishes of Australia, accessed 10 Apr 2025, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/2029

Quick Facts

CAAB Code:37035011

Conservation:IUCN Least Concern

Danger:Venomous spine on tail

Depth:1-60 m

Habitat:Marine, estuarine, reef associated

Max Size:300 cm TL; disc width 180 cm

Species Image Gallery

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Distribution	Widespread in northern Australia from about Shark Bay, Western Australia, to northern New South Wales, with stragglers south to at least Merimbula, New South Wales. Elsewhere the species occurs in West Papua (Indonesia), Papua New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands. Inhabits shallow sandy and silty areas in intertidal lagoons, reef flats, reef faces, bays and estuaries in depths to 60 m.
Feeding	Feeds on small bony fishes and a range of benthic invertebrates including crustaceans, molluscs, polychaete worms and sipunculids.
Biology	Reproduction is ovoviviparous, and the embryos are sustained by histotroph ("uterine milk") before being born. Females produce two pups per litter, born at about 18 cm across (DW).
Fisheries	Taken regularly in small numbers as bycatch in commercial fisheries, including in demersal tangle nets, bottom trawls, longlines, Danish seine and beach seine fisheries throughout its range. In Australia this species is taken as bycatch in the Australian Northern Prawn Fishery and in the Queensland East Coast Trawl Fishery. However the introduction of turtle exclusion devices (TEDS) in these fisheries may have greatly reduced bycatch of large stingrays (Brewer et al. 2006).
Remarks	In Shark Bay, Western Australia, Cowtail stingrays rest for several hours on shallow, sandy flats during high tide. When resting, they often form small groups, especially in turbid waters - arranging themselves in a "rosette" pattern with their tails pointing outward. This is thought to be an anti-predator behaviour, allowing the rays to see approaching predators.
Etymology	The specific name is from the Latin ater (= black) in reference to the “jet glossy black” colour of the dorsal surface.
Species Citation	Taeniura atra Macleay 1883, Proc. Linn. Soc. N. S. W. 7(4): 598. Type locality: Port Moresby District, Papua New Guinea.
Author	Bray, D.J. 2021
Resources	Atlas of Living Australia Australian Faunal Directory Catalog of Fishes

Cowtail Stingray, Pastinachus ater (Macleay 1883)