The round ribbontail ray (Taeniura meyeni) is a species of stingray in the family
Dasyatidae, found throughout the nearshore waters of the tropical
Indo-Pacific region. Reaching 1.8 m (6 ft) across, this large ray is characterized by a thick, rounded pectoral fin disc covered by small
tubercles on top, and a relatively short tail bearing a single venomous spine. The ray is well-camouflaged when lying on the seabed; it is largely nocturnal, and preys on
molluscs,
crustaceans and
bony fish. Mature females bear litters of up to seven pups, which are fed during gestation on "uterine milk", a product secreted by the walls of the
oviduct. This round ribbontail ray was photographed in
Lakshadweep, India.Photograph credit:
Rucha Karkarey; edited by
John Harrison
The round ribbontail ray (Taeniura meyeni) is a species of stingray in the family
Dasyatidae, found throughout the nearshore waters of the tropical
Indo-Pacific region. Reaching 1.8 m (6 ft) across, this large ray is characterized by a thick, rounded pectoral fin disc covered by small
tubercles on top, and a relatively short tail bearing a single venomous spine. The ray is well-camouflaged when lying on the seabed; it is largely nocturnal, and preys on
molluscs,
crustaceans and
bony fish. Mature females bear litters of up to seven pups, which are fed during gestation on "uterine milk", a product secreted by the walls of the
oviduct. This round ribbontail ray was photographed in
Lakshadweep, India.Photograph credit:
Rucha Karkarey; edited by
John Harrison