Chesterfield Island stingaree facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Chesterfield Island stingaree |
|
|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification |
The Chesterfield Island stingaree (also called Deforge's stingaree) is a type of stingray. It lives only near the Chesterfield Islands. This special ray is part of the Urolophidae family. It can grow up to 34 centimeters (about 13 inches) long.
This stingaree has a body shaped like a rounded diamond. Its top side is plain brown, and its underside is pale. It has a short head and a unique skin flap between its nostrils. Its tail is quite long and ends in a leaf-shaped fin. It does not have a dorsal fin. Scientists have listed this species as "Least Concern" because not much fishing happens where it lives.
Contents
Discovering the Chesterfield Island Stingaree
The first Chesterfield Island stingarees were found in the 1990s. This happened during research trips in the Coral Sea. Scientists from France and Australia worked together on these trips.
How it Got its Name
Two scientists, Bernard Séret and Peter Last, officially described this species in 2003. They wrote about it in a science magazine called Cybium. They named the stingaree after Bertrand Richer de Forges. He was a scientist from the Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD). The first official specimen studied was a 32-centimeter (12.6-inch) long adult male.
Relatives of the Stingaree
The Chesterfield Island stingaree is closely related to the New Caledonian stingaree. It also looks similar to the mitotic stingaree.
Where the Stingaree Lives
The Chesterfield Island stingaree lives only around the Chesterfield Islands. These islands are located northwest of New Caledonia.
Its Deep-Sea Home
This ray is a bottom-dwelling creature. It lives on the continental slope. This is the part of the ocean floor that slopes down from the land. It can be found at depths between 203 and 330 meters (about 666 to 1,083 feet).
What the Stingaree Looks Like
The body of the Chesterfield Island stingaree is shaped like a diamond. It is a bit wider than it is long. Its outer corners are rounded, and its front edges are gently curved.
Its Head and Mouth
The ray has a soft snout that forms a blunt angle. Its eyes are medium-sized and set fairly close together. Right behind its eyes are tear-shaped openings called spiracles. Between its nostrils, there is a narrow, skirt-like flap of skin. This flap has a deeply fringed edge.
Its mouth is not very big. Inside, it has 7 to 8 small, nipple-like bumps called papillae on the floor. These are arranged in a "W" shape. There are also some small papillae on its lower jaw. This ray has many rows of teeth: 28 to 33 rows on the upper jaw and 27 to 31 rows on the lower jaw. It also has five pairs of short gill slits.
Fins and Tail
The pelvic fins of the stingaree are small and rounded. Male rays have thin, pointed structures called claspers.
Its tail is a bit flat and is about 77 to 84 percent as long as its body disc. It has one stinging spine on its back, about halfway down the tail. This spine has serrated (saw-like) edges. The stingaree does not have a dorsal fin or skin folds on the sides of its tail. The tail ends in a long, low, leaf-shaped caudal fin. Its skin is smooth and does not have any rough scales.
Color and Size
The Chesterfield Island stingaree is plain yellowish-brown on top. The edge of its tail fin is darker, especially in younger rays. Its underside is white or cream, becoming slightly darker at the edges of its fins. The largest one ever found was 34 centimeters (13.4 inches) long.
Life Cycle of the Stingaree
Scientists do not know much about the daily life of the Chesterfield Island stingaree. However, like other rays in its family, it likely gives birth to live young. This means the babies develop inside the mother without a placenta. They probably have a small number of babies at a time.
Growing Up
Newborn stingarees are about 13 centimeters (5.1 inches) long. Male stingarees become old enough to reproduce when they are less than 29 centimeters (11.4 inches) long.
Conservation Status
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has listed the Chesterfield Island stingaree as "Least Concern." This is good news!
Why it's Not in Danger
The main reason it's not considered endangered is that there isn't much commercial trawl fishing in the area where it lives. This means it's not often caught by accident in fishing nets.
