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Related FAQs: Rays,
Skates, Batoids 2,
Batoid Identification,
Batoid Behavior,
Batoid Compatibility, Batoid Selection,
Batoid Systems,
Batoid Feeding, Batoid Disease,
Batoid Reproduction,
Shark, Ray Eggs,
Freshwater Stingrays: FW Stingray
Identification, FW Stingray Behavior,
FW Stingray Compatibility,
FW Stingray Selection,
FW Stingray Systems,
FW Stingray Feeding,
FW Stingray Disease,
Sharks/Rays & Crypt,
FW Stingray Reproduction,
Related Articles: Sharks,
Freshwater Stingrays, Wounds Articles,
/The Conscientious Marine Aquarist
Rays and their
Relatives. Batoids For The Home
Aquarium?
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By Bob Fenner
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Dasyatis kuhlii in Australia |
Survey piece to be penned... Review here of more commonly seen, offered
species, husbandry notes.
Stingrays, family Dasyatidae: Marine, brackish, freshwater (the
subfamily Potamotrygonidae, which I have as a
family here). Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Nine genera, 69 species. To
distinguish from the Round Stingrays, no caudal fin, tail longer than body, body
disc more than 1.3 times as wide as long.
| Dasyatis americana (Hildebrand & Schroeder 1928),
the Southern Stingray. Western Atlantic; New Jersey to Brazil. To over six
feet in diameter. Below: A full and business end view of a specimen in Tobago in
the Lower Antilles and one in the Bahamas. |
| Dasyatis kuhlii (Muller & Henle 1841), Kuhl's or
the Blue-Spotted Stingray. Indo-West Pacific, including the Red Sea. To
twenty eight inches in width. Reef associated. Feeds on crustaceans
(shrimps and crabs mainly). Venomous. One off Heron Island, Australia, and
a smaller individual in N. Sulawesi (Lembeh Strait). |
 
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| Dasyatis pastinaca (Linnaeus 1758), the Common
Stingray. Northeast Atlantic and Mediterranean. To about two feet in
diameter. London Aquarium image. |
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| Himantura jenkinsii (Annondale 1909), Jenkins Whipray.
Indo-Pacific; South Africa to Northern Australia. To a meter in width.
This female showing the characteristic ridge of denticle spines off Redang,
Malaysia. |
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Eagle and Bat Rays, family Myliobatidae: Atlantic, Indian and Pacific.
Heads elevated above body discs. Very long tails. Five genera, 43 species.
| Manta birostris (Donndorff 1798), a/the Manta Ray.
The paddle-like extensions on the head used for directing food into this
filter feeders mouth. Third largest fish species at more than 6.7 meters
in width, two tons in weight. Circumtropical. One at a cleaning
station in Australia, another in Hawai'i in shallow
water shot by MikeK. |
 
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| Myliobatis californica Gill 1865, the Bat Eagle Ray.
Eastern Pacific, Oregon to the Galapagos Islands. To more than five feet
in diameter. This cool water species is occasionally offered for sale as
an aquarium fish... it's not, unless you have a swimming-pool size system.
This one in the Aquarium of the Pacific, Long Beach, California. |
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Cownose Rays: family Rhinopteridae. Some writers place this as a
subfamily (Rhinopterinae) within the Myliobatidae.
Round Stingrays, family Urolophidae: Western Atlantic, eastern Indian
and Pacific. Four genera, 37 species. Body disc less than 1.3 times width. Have
caudal fins on moderately long tails.
| Taeniura lymna (Forsskal 1775), the Bluespotted
Ribbontail Ray (3) (aka the Bluespotted Stingray in the pet-fish trade).
Indo-West Pacific, including the Red Sea. To fourteen inches in width. A
commonly offered species in the ornamental marine interest, but rarely
lives... due to shipping trauma, being kept in too-small quarters, lack of
oxygen, scratches and subsequent infections... An aquarium and Red Sea
specimen shown. |
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| Urobatis (Urolophus) halleri (Cooper 1863), the Haller's Round
Stingray (3). Eastern Pacific, California to Panama. To more than two feet
in diameter. Another cool water species occasionally caught and offered in
the aquarium trade out of California... One in the Sea of Cortez off
of Mulege, Baja, California, another at a wholesalers in Los Angeles. |
 
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| Urobatis jamaicensis (Cuvier 1816), the Yellow
Stingray. Western Atlantic; North Carolina to Venezuela. To thirty inches
wide. Aquarium and Cozumel photos. |
 
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Electric/Torpedo Rays, family Torpedinidae: Two genera, fourteen
species; all marine. Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Distinguished by
pancake-like appearance and substantial electric shock they can/do produce to
deter predators, stun prey.
| Torpedo sinuspersici Olfers 1831, Marbled Electric
Ray. Western Indian Ocean; Red Sea, East Africa to India. To 130 cm. in
length. Red Sea image. |
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Guitarfishes, family Rhinobatidae: Looking like intermediaries between
the Sharks and more "ray-like" cartilaginous fishes,
| Rhinobatos productus Ayres 1854, the Shovelnose
Guitarfish. Eastern Pacific; Californias, US, Mexico. To about five feet
total length, 18kg weight. A cool to coldwater Ray that is too often
offered in the aquarium interest as a tropical. |
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| Trygonorrhina fasciata Muller & Henle 1841, the
Southern Fiddler. Eastern Indian Ocean; Australian endemic. To more than
four feet in length, 6.7 kg. Aquarium image. |
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| Zapteryx exasperata (Jordan & Gilbert 1880), the
Banded Guitarfish. Eastern Pacific; California to Peru. Rocky reefs,
rarely buried in sand. To three feet in length. Cabo San Lucas
photo. |
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Thornback Rays, family Platyrhinidae;
| Platyrhinoidis triseriata (Jordan & Gilbert
1880), the Thornback Guitarfish. Eastern Pacific, San Francisco to
Mexico's Baja. To three feet in length. Aquarium images. |
 
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Skates, family Rajidae: Found in all Oceans. Eighteen genera, 224
species. Slender tails with rows of denticles on their surface, often these
animals backs have a row as well. Eggs in horny cases with four long tips.
| Raja eglantiera Bosc 1800, the Clearnose Skate.
Western Atlantic; Massachusetts to the Gulf of Mexico. To two feet in
diameter. This one in the shallows in the Bahamas. |
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| And a neat demonstration... a skate egg with a
"window" cut in it and a piece of acetate secured for easy
viewing of the developing youngster within. Pic made at Monterey Bay
Aquarium. |
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Captive Care:
| Re: Goiter: A common cause of nutritional deficiency
syndrome is goiter in cartilaginous fishes <Note the bulge/growth in the
area just below the mouth>... Here's an afflicted ray being
properly offered food that is iodine/ate enriched. |
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Bibliography/Further Reading:
Dahlstrom, Joni. 1987. Torpedo Ray. The sea's shocking surprise package. Skin
Diver 6/87.
Debelius, Helmut. 1978. The Blue-Spotted Stingray. TFH 10/78.
Donovan, Paul. 1997. Electric Rays. TFH 11/97.
Edmonds, Les. 1989. Stingrays in the aquarium. TFH 6/89.
Hargrove, Mic. 1998. Tank busting Batoids. MFM 8/98.
Michael, Scott. 1996. Beware of Bluespots. A bluespotted beauty that should
be left on the reef. AFM 1/96.
Zimmer, Carl. 1999. The mystery of the Mermaid's Purse. The egg case of the
Hedgehog Skate provides more than a safe environment. Natural History. 7-8/99.
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