Gymnura natalensis, Butterfly ray : gamefish

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Gymnura natalensis (Gilchrist & Thompson, 1911)

Butterfly ray
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Gymnura natalensis   AquaMaps   Data sources: GBIF OBIS
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Image of Gymnura natalensis (Butterfly ray)
Gymnura natalensis
Female picture by SFSA

Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa

Elasmobranchii (sharks and rays) > Myliobatiformes (Stingrays) > Gymnuridae (Butterfly rays)
Etymology: Gymnura: Greek, gymnos = naked + Greek, oura = tail (Ref. 45335).
More on authors: Gilchrist & Thompson.

Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecology

Marine; demersal; depth range 20 - 100 m (Ref. 28016). Subtropical

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri

Southeast Atlantic and Western Indian Ocean: Namibia round the Cape to southern Mozambique.

Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: Lm ?, range 150 - ? cm
Max length : 250 cm WD male/unsexed; (Ref. 3263); max. published weight: 82.6 kg (Ref. 40637)

Short description Morphology | Morphometrics

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 0. Broad diamond-shaped pectoral disc almost twice as wide as it is long; tail shorter than body with black and white bands and a small sting; tentacle at rear edge of each spiracle (Ref. 5578). Grey, green or brown above, often with darker mottling; white below; can change color of upper disc rapidly to match substrate (Ref. 5578).

Biology     Glossary (e.g. epibenthic)

Occurs off sandy beaches, muddy estuaries and offshore banks. Found singly or in large groups (Ref. 5578). Feeds on a variety of fishes, crabs and polychaete worms (Ref. 5578). Ovoviviparous (Ref. 50449). Ability to change markings and color to blend into environment (Ref. 3263). Caught by offshore trawlers (Ref. 5578). Caught by shore anglers, it is prized for its strong fight when hooked, often released (Ref. 5578).

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae

Exhibit ovoviparity (aplacental viviparity), with embryos feeding initially on yolk, then receiving additional nourishment from the mother by indirect absorption of uterine fluid enriched with mucus, fat or protein through specialised structures (Ref. 50449). Distinct pairing with embrace (Ref. 205). One year gestation; up to 10 young (Ref. 5578).

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator : McEachran, John | Collaborators

Compagno, L.J.V., 1986. Dasyatidae. p. 135-142. In M.M. Smith and P.C. Heemstra (eds.) Smiths' sea fishes. Springer-Verlag, Berlin. (Ref. 3263)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)

  Least Concern (LC) ; Date assessed: 24 April 2018

CITES

Not Evaluated

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

  Harmless





Human uses

Gamefish: yes
FAO - Publication: search | FishSource |

More information

Countries
FAO areas
Ecosystems
Occurrences
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Ecology
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Common names
Synonyms
Metabolism
Predators
Ecotoxicology
Reproduction
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Spawning
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Fecundity
Eggs
Egg development
Age/Size
Growth
Length-weight
Length-length
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Morphometrics
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Larvae
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Otoliths
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Internet sources

AFORO (otoliths) | Aquatic Commons | BHL | Cloffa | BOLDSystems | Websites from users | Check FishWatcher | CISTI | Catalog of Fishes: genus, species | DiscoverLife | ECOTOX | FAO - Publication: search | Faunafri | Fishipedia | Fishtrace | GenBank: genome, nucleotide | GloBI | Google Books | Google Scholar | Google | IGFA World Record | MitoFish | Otolith Atlas of Taiwan Fishes | PubMed | Reef Life Survey | Socotra Atlas | Tree of Life | Wikipedia: Go, Search | World Records Freshwater Fishing | Zoological Record

Estimates based on models

Preferred temperature (Ref. 123201): 14.5 - 27.1, mean 25.3 °C (based on 72 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82804):  PD50 = 0.5000   [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00776 (0.00352 - 0.01710), b=3.09 (2.89 - 3.29), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref. 93245).
Trophic level (Ref. 69278):  3.9   ±0.65 se; based on food items.
Resilience (Ref. 120179):  Very Low, minimum population doubling time more than 14 years (Fec=10).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref. 59153):  Moderate to high vulnerability (51 of 100).