Taeniura lymma

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

View Printer Friendly

Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	CHONDRICHTHYES	RAJIFORMES	DASYATIDAE

Scientific Name:

Taeniura lymma

Species Authority:

(Forsskael, 1775)

Common Name/s:

English

–

Bluespotted Ribbontail, Bluespotted Ribbontail Ray, Blue-spotted Stingray, Fantail Ray, Ribbontailed Stingray

Synonym/s:

Raja lymma Forsskål, 1775

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:	Near Threatened ver 3.1
Year Published:	2005
Assessor/s:	Compagno, L.J.V.
Reviewer/s:	Musick, J.A. & Fowler, S.L. (Shark Red List Authority)
Contributor/s:
Justification: This assessment is based on the information published in the 2005 shark status survey (Fowler et al. 2005). Although very wide ranging and common, the Ribbontailed Stingray (Taeniura lymma) is subject to human-induced problems because of heavy inshore fisheries in most places where it occurs, its attractiveness for the marine aquarium fish trade (small size and brilliant colour pattern) and, especially, by widespread destruction of its reef habitat.

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Widespread in the Indo-West Pacific, including South Africa, Mozambique, Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles, Tanzania (Zanzibar), Kenya, Red Sea (Lohaja and Massaua), Saudi Arabia, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Oman, Persian Gulf, Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, the Solomons, Australia, Melanesia and Polynesia (Fowler 1941, Herre 1953, Last and Stevens 1994, Last and Compagno 1999). No information exists on subpopulations.
Countries:	Native: American Samoa (American Samoa); Australia; Bahrain; Cook Islands; Eritrea; Fiji; French Polynesia; India; Indonesia; Kenya; Madagascar; Malaysia; Mauritius; Mozambique; Myanmar; New Caledonia; New Zealand; Niue; Norfolk Island; Oman; Pakistan; Papua New Guinea; Philippines; Pitcairn; Qatar; Samoa; Saudi Arabia; Seychelles; Singapore; Solomon Islands; Somalia; South Africa; Sri Lanka; Sudan; Tanzania, United Republic of; Thailand; Tokelau; Tonga; Tuvalu; United Arab Emirates; United States (Hawaiian Is.); Vanuatu; Viet Nam; Wallis and Futuna; Yemen
FAO Marine Fishing Areas:	Native: Indian Ocean – eastern; Indian Ocean – western; Pacific – western central
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population Trend:	Unknown

Population Trend:

Unknown

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	A small stingray characteristic of coral reef habitats. Also found foraging near seagrass patches (Yahya and Jiddawi pers. comm.). Moves with rising tide into shallow, sandy areas to feed on molluscs, and shelters in caves and under ledges when the tide falls (Last and Stevens 1994). Despite its relative abundance in some areas, almost no information is available on its life history parameters (age at maturity, longevity, average reproductive age, generation time and annual fecundity are all unknown).
Systems:	Marine

Habitat and Ecology:

A small stingray characteristic of coral reef habitats. Also found foraging near seagrass patches (Yahya and Jiddawi pers. comm.). Moves with rising tide into shallow, sandy areas to feed on molluscs, and shelters in caves and under ledges when the tide falls (Last and Stevens 1994).

Despite its relative abundance in some areas, almost no information is available on its life history parameters (age at maturity, longevity, average reproductive age, generation time and annual fecundity are all unknown).

Systems:

Marine

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	This ray is commonly taken where heavy artisanal and small-scale commercial fisheries occur in or around coral reef habitats. Additionally, it may possibly be exploited locally for capture for the marine aquarium trade. It is at risk in many areas because of its dependence on coral reef habitats. These are under massive assault from net, dynamite and cyanide fisheries for teleosts in many places where the species occurs. In East Africa, artisanal fishers catch T. lymna using bottom¬set gillnets, longlines and skin-diving with spears, and also as bycatch in fence traps (S. Yahya and N. Jiddawi pers. obs.). Habitat loss and degradation therefore likely exert a significant impact on populations.

Major Threat(s):

This ray is commonly taken where heavy artisanal and small-scale commercial fisheries occur in or around coral reef habitats. Additionally, it may possibly be exploited locally for capture for the marine aquarium trade. It is at risk in many areas because of its dependence on coral reef habitats. These are under massive assault from net, dynamite and cyanide fisheries for teleosts in many places where the species occurs. In East Africa, artisanal fishers catch T. lymna using bottom¬set gillnets, longlines and skin-diving with spears, and also as bycatch in fence traps (S. Yahya and N. Jiddawi pers. obs.). Habitat loss and degradation therefore likely exert a significant impact on populations.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	No conservation or management initiatives have been identified.

Conservation Actions:

No conservation or management initiatives have been identified.

Citation:	Compagno, L.J.V. 2005. Taeniura lymma. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 20 May 2013.
Disclaimer:	To make use of this information, please check the <Terms of Use>.
Feedback:	If you see any errors or have any questions or suggestions on what is shown on this page, please fill in the feedback form so that we can correct or extend the information provided