Family UrolophidaeStingrays and Stingarees

TaxonomyOrder Myliobatiformes

Family Urolophidae

Genus Urobatis Urolophus

Urotrygon Trygonoptera

25-41 species in 2, 3, or 4 genera

Morphologyround disc, rostrum, and pectoral fins

Morphologyshort tail with rounded caudal fin, no dorsal finsvenomous spine ½ way down tail

Morphology25cm DL (Urotrygon microphthalmum)

66m DL (Urobatis jamaicensis)

Morphologycoloration varies, even within a species

Morphologycoloration varies, even within a species

Morphologymouth with papillae on floordentition unlike other rays

Habitat and Distributioncoastal subtropical and tropical waterE. Indian, E. and W. Pacific, W. Atlantic

U. halleri U. jamaicensis

Habitat and Distributionbenthic- bury in sandusually less than 15-20m deepmay segregate by sex

Reproductioncase study: Urobatis jamaicensis

~7 pups/litter

litter size increases with maternal size only during spring/summer cycle

Reproductionmature at ~15-16cm

aplacental viviparous with histotroph nutirition

gestation 5-6 monthsfemales pregnant throughout the year

bi-annual reproducers parturition in June-September and November-January

Prey/Feeding Habitsfeed on benthic invertebrates

some species use pectoral fins to get inverts out of substrate

Human Importancemay sting the feet of beachgoers

Urolophus halleri in Seal Beach, CA“stingray shuffle”

economic importance- aquariums little importance to fisheries

Conservation Statusmost species -data deficient or least concern on Redlist

3 species vulnerable

Urolophus orarius- endangered (Australia) Urolophus javanicus- critically endangered (Java)

Researchreproductive biology- may sort out taxonomy

U. halleri in Seal Beach (Chris Lowe at CSULB) spine regeneration, abundance, distribution,

and thermal preferences

ResearchU. jamaicensis sensory biology comparative studies

FAU sharklabprey-related olfactory sensitivityvisual fields/binocular vision, color vision

ResearchU. jamaicensis locomotion (“punting”) in FAU sharklab

Literature CitedBester, C. 2006. Round Stingray. Florida Museum Natural History, Icthyology Department.

University of Florida. < http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/>. Downloaded on 22 November 2007.

Fahy, D.P. and R.E. Spieler. 2007. Preliminary observations on the reproductive cycle and uterine fecundity of the yellow stingray, Urobatis jamaicensis (Elasmobranchii: Myliobatiformes: Urolophidae) in southeast Florida, U.S.A. Raffles Bulletin of Zoology Suppl 14: 131-139.

Hoisington IV, G. and C.G. Lowe. 2005. Abundance and distribution of the round stingray, Urobatis halleri, near a heated effluent outfall. Marine Environmental Research 60: 437-453.

IUCN 2007. 2007 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 22 November 2007.

Piercy, A. 2006. Yellow Stingray. Florida Museum Natural History, Icthyology Department. University of Florida. < http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/>. Downloaded on 22 November 2007.