To see photographs of the Sparsely-spotted Stingaree (Urolophus paucimaculatus) click here.
Sparsely-spotted Stingaree (Urolophus paucimaculatus)
All images and text on this page are copyright
protected: © 2002 Kelvin Aitken.
All rights reserved. Students may use this information for personal research
only. Not for commercial use.
The Sparsely-spotted Stingaree (Urolophus paucimaculatus) is a widespread
stingaree species with a variable body colour from light to mid-grey or
pale brown. A pale U-shaped line joins the eyes and similar hazy lines
occur on the wings. Sometimes this stingaree bears small dark spots and
often, but not always, there are 2–10 white spots with dark edges
of variable size on the wings near its raised body. These normally distinct
dark-bordered white spots are often missing from northern specimens, leading
to confusion with other ray species, but careful examination should reveal
this stingaree’s identity.
Sparsely-spotted Stingarees are born at about 12 cm long in small litters
and grow to 40 cm long. They are very common throughout their range, from
northern New South Wales around the south coast to Perth, occurring from
wading shallows down to depths of 150 m. They have a reputation for being
aggressive toward swimmers and divers but if left undisturbed they are
content to stay hidden in the sand.