New Caledonian stingaree facts for kids
Quick facts for kids New Caledonian stingaree |
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The New Caledonian stingaree (Urolophus neocaledoniensis) is a type of stingray. It belongs to the Urolophidae family. This amazing creature lives in the waters near New Caledonia. You can also find it around the Chesterfield Islands and the Norfolk Ridge.
This stingaree can grow up to 37 cm (15 in) long. It has a body shaped like a rounded diamond. Its body is a bit wider than it is long. It also has a special flap of skin between its nostrils. This flap looks a bit like a skirt.
The New Caledonian stingaree has a long tail. It does not have a fin on its back. Instead, its tail ends in a fin shaped like a leaf. Some stingarees even have small skin folds on the sides of their tails. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) says this stingaree is "Least Concern." This means it is not in much danger right now. This is because fishing does not affect it much.
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Meet the New Caledonian Stingaree
Scientists Bernard Séret and Peter Last first described this stingaree. They wrote about it in a science magazine called Cybium in 2003. They named it after New Caledonia, where it mostly lives.
The first stingarees were found during research trips. These trips happened in the Coral Sea in the 1990s. Scientists from France and Australia worked together. A male stingaree, about 40 cm (16 in) long, was very important. It was found near the Chesterfield Islands. This special stingaree helped scientists learn more about the species.
The New Caledonian stingaree is related to the Chesterfield Island stingaree. It also looks a bit like the mitotic stingaree.
Where Does the New Caledonian Stingaree Live?
The New Caledonian stingaree is very common in its home area. It lives around New Caledonia itself. You can also find it near the Chesterfield Islands. These islands are to the northwest. It also lives in the northern part of the Norfolk Ridge. This ridge is to the southeast.
This stingaree is a benthic fish. This means it lives on or near the bottom of the ocean. Scientists have found it in deep waters. It lives at depths from 229–428 m (751–1,404 ft).
What Does the New Caledonian Stingaree Look Like?
The New Caledonian stingaree has a body shaped like a diamond. Its body is a bit wider than it is long. The outer corners of its body are nicely rounded. The front edges are also curved. Its snout is wide and soft, with a tip that sticks out.
Its eyes are a medium size. Right behind its eyes are comma-shaped holes called spiracles. Between its nostrils, there is a skin flap. This flap looks like a skirt. It has a slightly wavy edge at the back.
The stingaree's mouth is not very big. Inside its mouth, it has 7 to 10 small bumps called papillae. These bumps are arranged in a "W" shape. There are also some small bumps on the outside of its lower jaw. It has many rows of teeth. There are 27 to 34 rows in its upper jaw. Its lower jaw has 24 to 31 rows of teeth. It also has five short pairs of gill slits.
Its pelvic fins are small and have rounded edges. Male stingarees have thick parts called claspers. These claspers have rounded tips.
The tail of the stingaree is quite long. It is about 68 to 79% as long as its body. The tail gets thinner quickly after a sharp spine. This spine is on the top of the tail, about halfway along its length. The stingaree does not have a fin on its back. But it might have a small fold of skin on each side of its tail. The fin at the very end of its tail is short and deep. It is shaped like a leaf.
The skin of this stingaree is completely smooth. Its top side is a plain grayish-brown or olive-brown color. Its underside is whitish. It has a dark band along the sides and back edges of its body. The edges of its pelvic, dorsal, and tail fins are dark. The tip of its snout is also dark. These dark parts are easier to see in younger stingarees. The biggest one ever found was 37 cm (15 in) long.
Life Cycle and Habits
We don't know much about the daily life of the New Caledonian stingaree. But like other stingarees in its family, it likely gives birth to live young. It probably has small litters of babies.
When they are born, baby stingarees are about 13 cm (5.1 in) long. Male stingarees become adults when they are about 30 cm (12 in) long.
Is the New Caledonian Stingaree in Danger?
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has listed the New Caledonian stingaree as "Least Concern." This is good news! It means the species is not currently at high risk.
There are no big commercial fishing boats that use trawl nets in the areas where this stingaree lives. Because of this, it is not often caught by accident. This helps keep its population safe and healthy.
