Smalleye stingray

Dasyatis microps

Dasyatis microps, originally microps Trygon is a Stechrochenart and lives in the Indo-Pacific Ocean between Mozambique, India and the north of Australia.

Features

Dasyatis microps has a diamond-shaped pectoral fin disc, the times as wide as long and about one and half widths up to 2.2 m reached. On the sides of the disk runs at a shallow angle out towards the muzzle is rounded, with a small protruding tip. The tail is slightly shorter than the disc, the front part up to a sting broad and flat, the rear whip similar. The top is brown to reddish brown, darker towards the tail. The underside is white.

Way of life

The Rays lives both coasts in reefs and estuaries as well as in the water column. For more information on habitat and prey is not known. He is ovoviviparous, the female usually bring only a single cub with a slice width of 31-33 cm to the world. He is occasionally introduced as by-catch from longline, beam trawls and purse seine fishermen. Exact population figures are not available, which is why its conservation status is assessed by the IUCN with DD (data deficit ). Because of his stay also at greater depths it is probably less threatened by the exploitation of its habitat than other species.