Coastal stingaree facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Coastal stingaree |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| Phylum: | |
| Class: | |
| Subclass: | |
| Order: | |
| Family: |
Urolophidae
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| Genus: |
Urolophus
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| Species: |
U. orarius
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| Binomial name | |
| Urolophus orarius Last & M. F. Gomon, 1987
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The coastal stingaree (Urolophus orarius) is a special type of round ray. It belongs to the stingaree family. This ray is quite rare and lives only in the eastern part of the Great Australian Bight in Australia.
What Does It Look Like?
Just like other rays, the coastal stingaree has a flat, disc-shaped body. Its wide pectoral fins (like wings) are connected to its head and main body. Its body is round, which is common for stingarees.
It has a long, thin tail that is clearly separate from its body. Most stingarees have one or more venomous spines about halfway down their tail. This spine is for defense.
To hide from predators, most stingarees have colors that help them blend in. The coastal stingaree is grayish-brown with darker spots on top. Its underside is lighter. This helps it disappear against the sandy or rocky seafloor.
Where Does It Live and What Does It Eat?
The coastal stingaree lives only in the eastern Indian Ocean, off the coast of southern Australia. You can find it from the Great Australian Bight Marine Park all the way to western Victoria. This ray lives on the seafloor in shallow coastal waters. It can be found at depths of about 20–50 metres (66–164 ft).
Scientists do not know much about the coastal stingaree. This is because it is rare and hard to find. However, it seems to act like other stingaree species. The coastal stingaree often eats fish that live on the bottom. It also eats shrimp, sea worms, and other small creatures. There is also proof that it can eat hard-shelled molluscs and crustaceans.
Why Is It Endangered?
People do not usually fish for coastal stingarees on purpose. But many of them are caught by accident. This happens when fishing boats are trying to catch other fish. This is called bycatch.
Stingarees do not have many babies, and they grow slowly. Because of this, and because they live in a small area, coastal stingarees are easily harmed by too much fishing.
The coastal stingaree lives inside the Great Australian Bight Marine Park. Part of this park is a special protected area. This helps keep the stingarees safe. The park tries to protect all the different kinds of animals and plants there. It also tries to make sure people use ocean resources in a way that is sustainable.
However, some fishing is still allowed in parts of the park. Also, companies have been looking for petroleum (oil and gas) and drilling for it since 2003. These activities might still be a danger to the coastal stingaree population.
As of As of 2010[update], there are no special plans just for saving the coastal stingaree.
