Masked stingaree facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Masked stingaree |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| Phylum: | |
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| Family: |
Urolophidae
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| Genus: |
Trygonoptera
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| Species: |
T. personata
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| Binomial name | |
| Trygonoptera personata Last & M. F. Gomon, 1987
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The masked stingaree (Trygonoptera personata) is a type of stingray. It belongs to the Urolophidae family. This ray is found only in southwestern Australia. It likes sandy areas or seagrass beds. These are usually in moderately deep water. However, it can live in very shallow water or down to about 115 meters (377 feet) deep.
You can spot the masked stingaree by its unique look. It has two large, dark spots on its back. One spot covers its eyes, like a mask. This is how it got its name! Its nostrils have wide, flat edges. Between them is a skin flap that looks like a skirt. This flap has a fringed edge. The ray's tail has a small dorsal fin right before its stinging spine. The tail ends in a leaf-shaped caudal fin. This stingray can grow up to 31 centimeters (12 inches) wide.
Masked stingarees mainly eat worms and crabs or shrimp. Younger rays eat more crustaceans. As they get older, they eat more worms. Female stingarees give birth to one pup each year. The baby grows inside the mother for 10 to 12 months. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) says the masked stingaree is of "Least Concern". This means it is not currently in danger. Fishing boats sometimes catch them by accident. But most of the time, the rays are released alive.
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About the Masked Stingaree's Name
Scientists Peter Last and Martin Gomon first described the masked stingaree. They did this in 1987. They named it personata. This comes from a Latin word meaning "masked." This name refers to the dark mask-like pattern on its face. The first official sample of this ray was a male. It was 23 centimeters (9 inches) wide. It was found near Cape Naturaliste in Western Australia.
Where Masked Stingarees Live
The masked stingaree lives off the coast of Western Australia. You can find it from Shark Bay down to Geographe Bay. It is one of the most common rays in its family there. It lives on the ocean floor. It has been seen from the shore down to 115 meters (377 feet) deep. It is most common in waters about 20 to 35 meters (66 to 115 feet) deep. It likes flat, sandy areas and seagrass beds. There is no sign that these rays move to different areas during the year. Also, males and females of different ages do not seem to live in separate places.
What the Masked Stingaree Looks Like
The masked stingaree has a round body. Its pectoral fin disc is about as long as it is wide. The front edges of its body are almost straight. They meet at a wide angle at its snout. Its eyes are not very big. Right behind them are comma-shaped openings called spiracles. The outer part of each nostril is wide and flat. Between the nostrils is a skin flap. It looks like a skirt and has a fringed edge. This flap hides its small mouth.
The ray has small bumps on its lower jaw. There are also a few bumps inside its mouth. Its small teeth have oval bases. It has five pairs of short gill slits. The pelvic fins are small and rounded. The tail is about 67 to 86% as long as the body disc. It has an oval shape. There is one stinging spine on top of the tail. A fairly large dorsal fin is just before the spine. The tail ends in a long, leaf-shaped caudal fin. The skin of the ray is smooth. It does not have rough scales.
The masked stingaree is usually brown or gray on top. It has two big, dark spots. One spot forms a "mask" around its eyes. The other is in the middle of its back. These spots might be connected by thin lines. Its underside is white. The edges of its fins are darker. Young rays have black dorsal and caudal fins. These fins turn gray as the ray gets older. Males grow up to 27 centimeters (11 inches) wide. Females grow larger, up to 31 centimeters (12 inches) wide.
Diet and Life Cycle
Masked stingarees mostly eat worms and crustaceans. Sometimes they also eat other small sea creatures. They eat both worms that live deep in tubes and worms that move around more. The special flaps and bumps near its mouth likely help it find and dig up food. Young rays eat mostly crustaceans like shrimp. As they get older, worms become a bigger part of their diet. The largest rays eat almost only worms.
Like other stingrays, the masked stingaree gives birth to live young. The babies grow inside the mother. Females have one working uterus (the left one). They usually have one pup each year, but sometimes two. Mating happens from mid-June to mid-July. The fertilized eggs are in a soft brown capsule. They stay in a resting state inside the mother until November. After that, the babies grow quickly. The mother feeds them with a special "uterine milk." A baby ray grows from about 1.1 centimeters (0.4 inches) wide in December to 11 centimeters (4.3 inches) wide by April. They are born in late April or early May. At birth, they are about 13 centimeters (5.1 inches) wide. The whole pregnancy, including the resting period, lasts 10 to 12 months.
Females grow slower but get bigger than males. Males become ready to have babies at about 22 centimeters (8.7 inches) wide. Females are ready at about 23 centimeters (9.1 inches) wide. Both sexes usually mature at four years old. Males can live up to 10 years. Females can live up to 16 years.
Conservation Status
Fishing boats that catch scallops and prawns often catch masked stingarees by accident. This happens off the coasts of Perth and Mandurah. However, only a few boats are involved in this type of fishing. So, the masked stingaree does not face a big threat from fishing. When caught, these rays usually survive when they are thrown back into the ocean. But sometimes, they might lose their unborn babies when caught.
Because this species is common and not heavily fished, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists it as "Least Concern". This means it is not considered to be in danger of disappearing. A plan from 2004 in Australia aims to help protect sharks and rays. This plan could also benefit the masked stingaree.
