Blue spotted rays
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Blue-spotted ray ( Taeniura lymma ) |
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| Taeniura lymma | ||||||||||||
| ( Fosskål , 1775) |
The Blaupunktrochen ( Taeniura lymma ) is a species in the genus, the spot stingray ( Taeniura ) in the family of stingray (Dasyatidae).
Appearance
Blue spotted rays reach a body length of 70 cm . The almost circular, lens-shaped body is, like all rays, strongly flattened. They have an arrow-shaped tail, which is as long as the body. The two poison stings are housed in this tail . On the yellowish upper side of the animals are the eponymous blue dots, which merge into blue stripes on the tail. For camouflage, the animals are able to regulate the intensity of the conspicuous blue markings. The underside is also yellowish, but with white spots.
distribution
Blue spotted rays live in the Red Sea and in the Indo-Pacific region as far as Japan and Australia .
habitat
Blue spotted rays are typical residents of coral reefs . There they prefer soft sandy bottoms on the sandy plateau and the caves in the reef. They dig themselves into the sand for camouflage. The animals are also common on the top of the reef, where they warm up in the sun in the shallow water. Blue spotted rays live between the sea surface and water depths of up to 40 m .
nutrition
The animals look for their food, which consists of molluscs , shrimps and worms , at night or at high tide.
Reproduction
Blue spotted rays are ovoviviparous (give birth to life). There are up to seven young animals in one litter.
Blue spotted rays and people
Blue spotted rays are shy and not aggressive towards humans. However, accidents with blue spotted rays are known. The animals are often well hidden in the sand near the beach. If bathers step on the animals, they defend themselves with their poisonous spines. Snorkelers in very shallow water are also at risk, as the animals can mistake the large outline of the snorkeler for a predator and then try to defend themselves accordingly. The poison of the blue spotted droplet is not fatal for people if they are not allergic . However, the sting is very painful. Danger comes from the spines themselves, which are very pointed and quite large. With these, the rays can also injure internal organs, especially when snorkelling in shallow water.
threat
Blue spotted rays are hunted intensively as food fish and also for aquaristics . This, as well as the loss and damage to its coral reef habitat , mean that its stock situation is likely to deteriorate. The International Union for Conservation of Nature ( IUCN) puts the blue-spotted ray on the Red List of Endangered Species and classifies it as Near Threatened .
literature
- Alberto Siliotti et al. A., The fish of the Red Sea, Memofish-Book , Geodia Verlag, Verona, 2002, ISBN 88-87177-43-0
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b Taeniura lymma in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2009. Posted by: Compagno, Hunting Association, 2005. Retrieved on 4 March of 2010.
Web links
- Blue spotted rays on Fishbase.org (English)