Brown Stingaree, Urolophus westraliensis Last & Gomon 1987

Summary:

A uniformly pale yellow to light brown stingaree, lacking spots or other darker markings, with a pale underside.

Cite this page as:

Bray, D.J. 2018, Urolophus westraliensis in Fishes of Australia, accessed 20 Sep 2024, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/Home/species/3542

Brown Stingaree, Urolophus westraliensis Last & Gomon 1987

More Info

Distribution	Endemic to north-western Australia, from off Shark Bay, Western Australia, to the Arafura Sea, Northern Territory. Inhabits the outer continental shelf in depths to 220 m.
Features	Disc subcircular, slightly wider than long; broadest about eye diameter behind spiracles; anterior margin obtuse. Snout tip slightly extended. Eye small (22-28% preocular snout length). Posterior margin of spiracle mostly rounded. Mouth moderately large; 5-6 small papillae on floor. Internasal flap skirt-shaped, posterior angle extended into distinct lobe. Posterolateral border of nostril flat or forming weak nob, not forming broad flattened lobe. Tail moderately depressed; short (66-80% disc length); lateral cutaneous folds barely noticeable; dorsal fin absent, or reduced to a low fold; caudal fin short, mostly broad.
Colour	Dorsal surface uniformly pale yellow to light brown, lacking spots or other darker markings. Ventral surface pale.
Similar Species	The Brown Stingaree differs from the similar and sympatic Urolophus mitosis, in having a relatively shorter tail, a smaller eye and a uniform colour pattern.
Etymology	The species is named after the Australian state in which the type specimens occur.
Species Citation	Urolophus westraliensis Last & Gomon 1987, Mem. Mus. Vict. 48(1): 72, fig. 6. Type locality: north of Port Hedland, Western Australia, 18°20´S, 118°27´E, 202 m.
Author	Bray, D.J. 2018
Resources	Australian Faunal Directory

Brown Stingaree, Urolophus westraliensis Last & Gomon 1987

References

Allen, G.R. 1997. Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia and South-east Asia. Perth : Western Australian Museum 292 pp. 106 pls.

Last, P.R & Gomon, M.F. 1987. New Australian fishes. Part 15. New species of Trygonoptera and Urolophus(Urolophidae). Memoirs of Museum Victoria 48(1): 63-72 https://doi.org/10.24199/j.mmv.1987.48.15Open access

Last, P.R. & Stevens, J.D. 1994. Sharks and Rays of Australia. Canberra : CSIRO Australia 513 pp. 84 pls.

Last, P.R. & Stevens, J.D. 2009. Sharks and Rays of Australia. Collingwood : CSIRO Publishing Australia 2, 550 pp.

Last, P.R., Yearsley, G.K. & White, W.T. 2016. Family Urolophidae pp. 676-705. In: Last, P.R., White, W.T., de Carvalho, M.R., Séret, B., Stehmann, M.F.W. & & Naylor, G.J.P. (eds) Rays of the World. Melbourne: CSIRO Publishing, 800 pp.

Sainsbury, K.J., Kailola, P.J. & Leyland, G.G. 1984. Continental Shelf Fishes of Northern and North-Western Australia. Canberra : Fisheries Information Service 375 pp. figs & pls. (as Urolophus sp. 1)