Description

Also known as Common Stingray, Stingaree, Stingaree Stingray.

Found often half buried with just the eyes showing, over sandy bottoms of estuaries, coastal and off-shore reefs.
They feed on crustaceans, fish, other stingaree's and worms.
Can look like the "Martians" have landed.
Length - 47cm
Depth - 0-130m
Western Pacific - Southern Queensland to New South Wales.




Stingarees are bottom feeders, they settle themselves down over their prey, trapping them against the substrate with their disc, then flexing their disc flaps and manoeuvring the victims into their mouths.
Most Stingarees live in the sea, but some can be found in estuaries, often hard to see as they can be buried in the sand, occasionally they can be seen leaping out of the water.
They have a small stubby tail and as a form of defence Stingarees have two venomous spines in their tails.
Usually Stingarees will swim out of harms way if approached, however they can give a nasty sting and can move at lightening speed both forwards and backwards!
Never swim over the top of large rays, they think you are a predator and are likely to whip their tails in defense! (as happened to Steve Irwin) Ref: https://www.fishbase.se/summary/15439