Description: A stingray, with long whip-like tail, no caudal or dorsal fins, and one or more toxic serrated spines at the base of the tail. Pectoral fins completely fused with the sides of the head over its entire length. Disc diamond-shaped, with the outer corners forming a rounded angle. Snout very short and very bluntly angled. Tail up to one and a half body length, with one or more massive, long serrated spines on the base. Large specimens have dermal denticles scattered on the upper face of the disc; the underside is smooth. Grey, olive-green or brown above; underside white but with greyish brown margins on the disc and pelvic fins. Whiplash section of the tail is black.
Global Distribution: Northeast Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea. View Map
BIOLOGICAL FEATURES
Size: Maximum disc width: male 57.0 cm; female 60.0 cm.
Reproduction: Ovoviviparous, gestation period about 4 months and 4-7 young are produced. A swelling on the dorsal area on both sides of the body can be detected in pregnant females.
Maturity:
Behavioural ecology:
Population structure & migrations:
ECOLOGICAL FEATURES
Depth range: FishBase: 5 - 200 m, usually 20 - 35 m.
Habitat: Demersal. Found over sandy and muddy bottoms, sometimes in estuaries and near rocky reefs.
Feeding habits: Feeds on bottom fishes, crustaceans and molluscs.
Trophic level: FishBase: 4.1
FISHERIES
Commercial interest: Commercial species.
Conservation status: Global: Data deficient.
Northeast Atlantic: Near threatened.
Europe: Vulnerable.
Nutritional information & food safety:
REFERENCES
Ebert D.A., Stehmann M.F.W. (2013). Sharks, batoids, and chimaeras of the North Atlantic. FAO Species Catalogue for Fishery Purposes, No. 7. FAO, Rome, 523 pp.
Gibson C., Valenti S.V., Fordham S.V., Fowler S.L. (2008). The Conservation of Northeast Atlantic Chondrichthyans: Repost of the IUCN Shark Specialist Group Northeast Atlantic Red List Workshop. IUCN Species Survival Commission Shark Specialist Groups, NatureBureau, Newbury, UK, 76 pp.
IUCN (2014). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2014.1. www.iucnredlist.org
Nieto A., Ralph G.M., Comeros-Raynal M.T., Kemp J., GarcÃa Criado M., Allen D.J., Dulvy N.K., Walls R.H.L., Russell B., Pollard D., GarcÃa S., Craig M., Collette B.B., Pollom R., Biscoito M., Labbish Chao N., Abella A., Afonso P., Ãlvarez H., Carpenter K.E., Clò S., Cook R., Costa M.J., Delgado J., Dureuil M., Ellis J.R., Farrell E.D., Fernandes P., Florin A-B., Fordham S., Fowle, S., Gil de Sola L., Gil Herrera J., Goodpaster A., Harvey M., Heessen H., Herler J., Jung A., Karmovskaya E., Keskin C., Knudsen S.W., Kobyliansky S., KovaÄić M., Lawson J.M., Lorance P., McCully Phillips S., Munroe T., Nedreaas K., Nielsen J., Papaconstantinou C., Polidoro B., Pollock C.M., Rijnsdorp A.D., Sayer C., Scott J., Serena F., Smith-Vaniz W.F., Soldo A., Stump E., Williams J.T. (2015). Europen Red List of Marine Fishes. IUCN and European Union, Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg, 90 pp.
