Not just a huge collection of Shark Pictures: Elasmodiver.com contains images of sharks, skates, rays, and a few chimaera's from around the world. Elasmodiver began as a simple web based shark field guide to help divers find the best places to encounter the different species of sharks and rays that live in shallow water but it has slowly evolved into a much larger project containing information on all aspects of shark diving and shark photography.

There are now more than 10,000 shark pictures and sections on shark evolution, biology, and conservation. There is a large library of reviewed shark books, a constantly updated shark taxonomy page, a monster list of shark links, and deeper in the site there are numerous articles and stories about shark encounters. Elasmodiver is now so difficult to check for updates, that new information and pictures are listed on an Elasmodiver Updates Page that can be accessed here:

WHAT'S NEW?

Shark picture - green sawfish

COMMON STINGAREE

Photograph copyright Andy Murch

View more Common Stingaree Pictures in the Shark Picture Database

Common English Names: Common stingaree.

Other Names:

扁魟 China Mandarin Chinese

瓦鷂扁魟 China Mandarin Chinese

瓦鹞扁魟 China Mandarin Chinese

Gewone doornrog Netherlands Dutch

Latin Name: Trygonoptera testacea

Family: Urolophidae

Identification: Disc slightly rhomboid. Snout rounded. Body marginally wider than long. Tail about as long as disc. Dorsum varies from uniformly light brown to almost black. Some individuals are reported to have black and white tails. Small dorsal fin in front of tail spines. Well developed upper and lower caudal finfolds.

Size: Maximum length approx 92cm.

Habitat: Intertidal zone to 130m. The common stingaree is usually found on sand or mud bottoms. Often near reefs, in bays and in estuaries.

Abundance and distribution: Eastern Australia; from southern Queensland to South Australia.

Behavior: Forages in sand and mud for crustaceans and worms. Also eats bony fishes and other stingarees.

Reproduction: Ovoviviparous.

Photographs: Southwest Rocks, NSW and Merimbula, NSW.

Similar species: The Common Stingaree shares its range with a number of other species including the Sparsely Spotted Stingaree (T.paucimaculatus), the Crossback Stingaree (U.cruciatus) and the undescribed Banded Stingaree (Trygonoptera sp.). All can be identified by the features that give them their common names.

Reaction to divers: Sometimes easy to approach with slow movements but once startled, remains aloof.

Diving logistics: This is one of the most common species encountered by divers in NSW. Any shallow sandy area should yield a few Common Stingarees. The shore dive off of the beach at Southwest Rocks was particularly productive for this species.

Other diving locations submitted by readers:

References and further reading:

Sharks and Rays of Australia. Peter Last. CSIRO.

Reef Sharks and Rays of the World. Scott Michael.

Sharks and Rays - Elasmobranch Guide of the World. Ralf M. Hennemann. IKAN.

HOME LINKS TAXONOMY BOOKS CONTACT

SHARK TRIPS

MORE EXPEDITIONS

SPONSORS

ADVERTISERS