Bluespotted Ribbontail Ray
Taeniura Lymma
By: Ryan Craft
Location of habitat
Bluespotted ribbontail rays are found in shallow temperate and tropical waters over continental shelves to depths of 66 feet. As a resident of coral reefs, this ray disperses during falling tides to take up shelter in crevasses and under rocky ledges. During rising tides, it migrates in small aggregations onto shallow sandy areas in search of prey.
Physical Characteristics and Age of Sexual Maturity
Males attain sexual maturity at a disc width of 20–21 cm; the maturation size of females is unknown.
The Bluespotted Ribbontail Rays have a yellow green to yellow brown coloured body with a prominent set of eyes that protrude above the body. The body is covered in bright blue spots of varying sizes and each individual has its own pattern of spots. The eyes are a bright yellow colour and they have the ability to change the size of their pupils. The pectoral fins form the disc of the ray and towards the rear of the body below the disc are the smaller pelvic fins.
The tail extends back from the disc and has a prominent blue stripe down either side. Towards the end of the tail are two spikes with venom. The underside of the body where the mouth is situated is a light grey- brown colour. Bluespotted Ribbontail ray’s grow to 35 cm in width and up to 80 cm in length.
Reproduction and Mating Process
These rays are oviparous, meaning after the mating process the female develops eggs inside her body with embryos feeding initially on yolk, then receiving additional nourishment from the mother by indirect absorption of uterine “milk” that is enriched with mucus, fat and protein. which then fertilize and hatch in due course, with her then giving birth to young, fully grown stingrays.
Gestation Period
Females give birth to up to seven young per litter after a gestation period of 4-12 months. These young have markings similar to the adults including the characteristic blue spots.
Prey
Clams
Shrimp
Crab
Small Fish
Blue-spotted ribbontail rays have no teeth but the mouth has food crushing plates designed to crush their victim or prey. They capture their prey by pinning it down with its wing-like fins or by scooping up those that hide in the sand.
Predators
Bottlenose Dolphins
Hammerhead Shark
Seals
Any Large fish
Migration Patterns
At night, small groups of bluespotted ribbontail rays follow the rising tide onto sandy flats to root for small benthic invertebrates and bony fishes in the sediment. When the tide recedes, the rays separate and withdraw to shelters on the reef.
Lifespan of Bluespotted Ribbontail Ray
During courtship, the male often follows the female with his sensitive nose close to her cloaca in search of a chemical signal that the female will emit that indicates she is ready to mate. Courtship usually includes some sort of nibbling or biting of the disc. The teeth of the male are used to hold the female in place during copulation. The male fertilises the female via internal fertilisation through the use of their claspers.
Blue Spotted Ribbontail Rays grow as eggs and remain inside the body of their mother for a period of four months to a year. Live rays are born shortly after hatching inside the mother
The blue-spotted ribbon-tail ray is a shy, solitary creature and spends most of its time alone, partially buried in the sandy seabed or hiding in shallow crevices along the coral reef.
The lifespan of blue-spotted ribbontail rays are still unknown but most n the wild die from predators or other rays.
Unique Characteristics
Blue-spotted ribbontail rays mostly swim, but can also walk using their pectoral fins or limbs to move around. The pectoral fins move simultaneously during forward movement by pushing the body off the substrate and for strike feeding.
These rays are threatened around the world due to destructive fishing practices and habitat loss.1 They are also sometimes traded in the private aquarium trade, though these rays rarely thrive in captivity.
The blue-spotted ribbontail ray uses electroreception (the biological ability to perceive natural electric stimuli) to communicate with other members of its species and to detect prey.
VIDEO
https://youtu.be/V8qcJKlS_b0
INDEX
1. https://www.sanbi.org/animal-of-the-week/blue-spotted-ribbontail-ray/
2. https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/discover-fish/species-profiles/taeniura-lymma/
3. https://seaunseen.com/bluespotted-ribbontail-ray-2/
4. https://oceana.org/marine-life/blue-spotted-ribbontail-ray/
5. https://www.seafishpool.com/bluespotted-ribbontail-ray/
6. https://www.calacademy.org/explore-science/bluespotted-ribbontail-ray
Blue Spotted Ribbontail Ray
Start designing with a free template
Discover more than 1500 professional designs like these:
View
Corporate Christmas Presentation
View
Snow Presentation
View
Winter Presentation
View
Hanukkah Presentation
View
Vintage Photo Album
View
Nature Presentation
View
Halloween Presentation
Explore all templates
Transcript
Bluespotted Ribbontail Ray
Taeniura Lymma
By: Ryan Craft
Location of habitat
Bluespotted ribbontail rays are found in shallow temperate and tropical waters over continental shelves to depths of 66 feet. As a resident of coral reefs, this ray disperses during falling tides to take up shelter in crevasses and under rocky ledges. During rising tides, it migrates in small aggregations onto shallow sandy areas in search of prey.
Physical Characteristics and Age of Sexual Maturity
Males attain sexual maturity at a disc width of 20–21 cm; the maturation size of females is unknown.
The Bluespotted Ribbontail Rays have a yellow green to yellow brown coloured body with a prominent set of eyes that protrude above the body. The body is covered in bright blue spots of varying sizes and each individual has its own pattern of spots. The eyes are a bright yellow colour and they have the ability to change the size of their pupils. The pectoral fins form the disc of the ray and towards the rear of the body below the disc are the smaller pelvic fins. The tail extends back from the disc and has a prominent blue stripe down either side. Towards the end of the tail are two spikes with venom. The underside of the body where the mouth is situated is a light grey- brown colour. Bluespotted Ribbontail ray’s grow to 35 cm in width and up to 80 cm in length.
Reproduction and Mating Process
These rays are oviparous, meaning after the mating process the female develops eggs inside her body with embryos feeding initially on yolk, then receiving additional nourishment from the mother by indirect absorption of uterine “milk” that is enriched with mucus, fat and protein. which then fertilize and hatch in due course, with her then giving birth to young, fully grown stingrays.
Gestation Period
Females give birth to up to seven young per litter after a gestation period of 4-12 months. These young have markings similar to the adults including the characteristic blue spots.
Prey
Clams
Shrimp
Crab
Small Fish
Blue-spotted ribbontail rays have no teeth but the mouth has food crushing plates designed to crush their victim or prey. They capture their prey by pinning it down with its wing-like fins or by scooping up those that hide in the sand.
Predators
Bottlenose Dolphins
Hammerhead Shark
Seals
Any Large fish
Migration Patterns
At night, small groups of bluespotted ribbontail rays follow the rising tide onto sandy flats to root for small benthic invertebrates and bony fishes in the sediment. When the tide recedes, the rays separate and withdraw to shelters on the reef.
Lifespan of Bluespotted Ribbontail Ray
During courtship, the male often follows the female with his sensitive nose close to her cloaca in search of a chemical signal that the female will emit that indicates she is ready to mate. Courtship usually includes some sort of nibbling or biting of the disc. The teeth of the male are used to hold the female in place during copulation. The male fertilises the female via internal fertilisation through the use of their claspers.
Blue Spotted Ribbontail Rays grow as eggs and remain inside the body of their mother for a period of four months to a year. Live rays are born shortly after hatching inside the mother
The blue-spotted ribbon-tail ray is a shy, solitary creature and spends most of its time alone, partially buried in the sandy seabed or hiding in shallow crevices along the coral reef.
The lifespan of blue-spotted ribbontail rays are still unknown but most n the wild die from predators or other rays.
Unique Characteristics
Blue-spotted ribbontail rays mostly swim, but can also walk using their pectoral fins or limbs to move around. The pectoral fins move simultaneously during forward movement by pushing the body off the substrate and for strike feeding.
These rays are threatened around the world due to destructive fishing practices and habitat loss.1 They are also sometimes traded in the private aquarium trade, though these rays rarely thrive in captivity.
The blue-spotted ribbontail ray uses electroreception (the biological ability to perceive natural electric stimuli) to communicate with other members of its species and to detect prey.
VIDEO
https://youtu.be/V8qcJKlS_b0
INDEX
1. https://www.sanbi.org/animal-of-the-week/blue-spotted-ribbontail-ray/
2. https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/discover-fish/species-profiles/taeniura-lymma/
3. https://seaunseen.com/bluespotted-ribbontail-ray-2/
4. https://oceana.org/marine-life/blue-spotted-ribbontail-ray/
5. https://www.seafishpool.com/bluespotted-ribbontail-ray/
6. https://www.calacademy.org/explore-science/bluespotted-ribbontail-ray