Brown stingaree facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Brown stingaree |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| Phylum: | |
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| Family: |
Urolophidae
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| Genus: |
Urolophus
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| Species: |
U. westraliensis
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| Binomial name | |
| Urolophus westraliensis Last & M. F. Gomon, 1987
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The brown stingaree (Urolophus westraliensis) is a type of stingray. It belongs to the family called Urolophidae. This unique fish lives deep in the ocean, usually between 60 to 220 meters (about 200 to 720 feet) down. You can find it off the coast of northern Western Australia.
The brown stingaree has a flat, diamond-shaped body. It is usually light yellow or brown, and sometimes has faint, darker stripes across its back. Its tail is short and ends with a leaf-shaped fin. The largest brown stingaree ever found was about 36 centimeters (14 inches) long.
The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) says the brown stingaree is of "Least Concern". This means it's not currently in danger. There isn't much fishing that affects them in most places where they live.
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About the Brown Stingaree
Scientists Peter Last and Martin Gomon first described the brown stingaree in 1987. They named it Urolophus westraliensis because it was found off the coast of Western Australia. The first specimen they studied was a male, about 19 centimeters (7.5 inches) wide. It was caught near Port Hedland in Western Australia.
Where Does it Live?
The brown stingaree lives only in northern Western Australia. It is found on the outer edge of the continental shelf. This is the part of the ocean floor that slopes away from the land. They live between the Dampier and Bonaparte Archipelagos. These stingarees are benthic, which means they live on or near the seabed.
What Does it Look Like?
The brown stingaree has a body shaped like a diamond. It is a bit wider than it is long. The front edges of its body are almost straight and meet at a wide angle near its snout. Its snout sticks out slightly from its body.
It has medium-sized eyes. Behind its eyes are tear-shaped holes called spiracles. These help the stingaree breathe. Between its nostrils, there is a flap of skin that looks like a skirt. This flap has small, shallow fringes.
The stingaree has a fairly large mouth. Inside, there are 5 to 6 small, nipple-like bumps called papillae on the floor. There are also a few papillae on its lower jaw. Its small teeth have oval bases. It has five pairs of short gill slits. Its pelvic fins are small and rounded.
The tail of the brown stingaree is quite short. It is about 66% to 80% as long as its body. On top of its tail, about halfway along, there is a stinging spine with jagged edges. The very end of its tail has a short, deep, leaf-shaped caudal fin. Sometimes, it might have faint skin folds on the sides of its tail. It might also have a small dorsal fin in front of the sting.
The skin of the brown stingaree is completely smooth. Adult stingarees are light yellow or brown on top. Young ones are light yellow. They might have faint, darker stripes across their eyes, gill area, and the middle of their back. Their underside is whitish. The caudal fin is yellow with a black edge. The biggest one found was 36 centimeters (14 inches) long.
How Does it Reproduce?
Scientists don't know much about the life of the brown stingaree. They reproduce in a way called aplacental viviparous. This means the mother carries her young inside her body. The baby stingarees get food from a special "uterine milk" made by the mother. They don't have a placenta like mammals do.
The number of babies a mother stingaree has is probably small, similar to other stingray species. When they are born, baby brown stingarees are about 10 to 13 centimeters (4 to 5 inches) long. Male stingarees become ready to have their own babies when they are less than 24 centimeters (9.4 inches) long.
Protecting the Brown Stingaree
The brown stingaree lives near an area where some fishing happens, called the North West Slope Trawl Fishery. However, it doesn't face much danger from fishing in most of its habitat. Because of this, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has listed it as "Least Concern".
In the past, from 1959 to 1990, intense foreign fishing in the region might have affected their numbers. The brown stingaree could benefit from Australia's 2004 plan to protect sharks and rays.
