General Information

COMMON NAMES: Bluespotted Stingray, Kuhl's Stingray; German Grauer Stechrochen; French Raie à Points Bleus TRADITIONAL NAMES: Tāmanu (RR AT MK AK), Hai (TS TW), Fai (MH), Wai Lepu / Wai Kave? (PK); Other Polynesian - Fai Iu (TAH) GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION: NATIVE e.Africa - Samoa (- N.Cooks inconclusive); n. to s.Japan; s. to New Caledonia COOK ISLANDS STATUS: Native; Not conclusively identified within the Cook Islands. PLUS: Nth Group (Simms); Marine, near-shore, lagoon SIGNIFICANCE LIST: ; Poisonous spines - serious KEY FEATURES: To 50cmØ, tail equals disc-Ø. Rhomboid, pale grey to brown with small redish to black spots, and larger pale blue spots. Posterior half of tail with black and white bands.

Cook Islands Distribution

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Southern Group: Present    Makatea:
RR	MG	AT	MK	MT	AK	PL	TK	MN
						P

Northern Group:
TN	MH	RK	PK	NS	SW
P?			P

Dasyatis kuhlii (Müller & Henle, 1841)
SYNONYMS: Amphotistius kuhlii; Trygon kuhlii [O]

TAXONOMY: ANIMALIA; CHORDATA; GNATHOSTOMATA (Jawed Vertebrates); PISCES; CHONDRICHTHYES; Rajiformes; Myliobatoidei; DASYATIDAE. COMMENT: family sometimes spelt Dasyatididae

Vouchers:
Cooks: Recognised, from photos, by residents (Sims88). Palmerston: reported (Preston95). Pukapuka: informant reports at NBSAP meeting, 2/2004.

References:
text p.38 Myers (1991 2nd Ed.) Fishes of Micronesia
plate 8c Myers (1991 2nd Ed.) Fishes of Micronesia
p.29 Randall et al. (1990) Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef....
p.45 Burgess et al. (1988) Atlas of Marine Aquarium Fishes (TFH)
plate 4-03 Lieske & Myers (1996) Coral Reef Fishes
plate 4-11 Allen (1997) Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia....
Species No. 20 Munro (1967) Fishes of New Guinea

Data Update History (information):
zTX, zB02, zM02, zD02

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