NEWS - Emirates Diving Association

NEWS
FEATURED CREATURE
BLUESPOTTED STINGRAY (Taeniura lymma)
FEATURE IUCN RED LIST – COMPAGNO, L.J.V PHOTOGRAPHY PHILIPPE LECOMTE
near threatened
A threatened Bluespotted Stingray
Local Species in the IUCN Red List 2010
Red List Category & Criteria:
NEAR THREATENED
Scientific Name: Taeniura lymma
Common Name: Bluespotted Stingray
Justification: Although very wide ranging and
common, the Bluespotted Stingray (Taeniura
lymma) is subject to human-induced problems
because of heavy inshore fisheries in most
places where it occurs, its attractiveness for
the marine aquarium fish trade (small size
and brilliant colour pattern) and, especially, by
widespread destruction of its reef habitat.
Geographic Range: Widespread in the Indo-
West Pacific, including South Africa, Mozambique,
Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles, Tanzania
(Zanzibar), Kenya, Red Sea (Lohaja and Massaua),
Saudi Arabia, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Oman, Persian
Gulf, Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Malaysia,
Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, the
Philippines, Papua New Guinea, the Solomons,
Australia, Melanesia and Polynesia. No information
exists on subpopulations.
Population Trend: Unknown
Habitat and Ecology: Characteristic of coral
reef habitats. Also found foraging near seagrass
patches. Moves with rising tide into shallow,
sandy areas to feed on molluscs, and shelters
in caves and under ledges when the tide falls.
Despite its relative abundance in some areas,
almost no information is available on its life
history parameters (age at maturity, longevity,
average reproductive age, generation time and
annual fecundity are all unknown).
Major Threats: This ray is commonly taken
where heavy artisanal and small-scale
commercial fisheries occur in or around coral
reef habitats. Additionally, it may possibly be
exploited locally for capture for the marine
aquarium trade. It is at risk in many areas
because of its dependence on coral reef
habitats. These are under massive assault from
net, dynamite and cyanide fisheries for teleosts
in many places where the species occurs. In
East Africa, artisanal fishers catch T. lymma using
bottom-set gillnets, longlines and skin-diving
with spears, and also as bycatch in fence traps.
Habitat loss and degradation therefore likely
exert a significant impact on populations.
Conservation Actions: No conservation or
management initiatives have been identified.
Citation: Compagno, L.J.V. 2005. Taeniura lymma.
In: IUCN 2010. IUCN Red List of Threatened
Species. Version 2010.2.
www.iucnredlist.org
Previous feature creatures:
Critically endangered
Hawksbill Turtle
Near Threatened
Spotted Eagle Ray
8 EMIRATES DIVING ASSOCIATION, SEPTEMBER 2010 SEPTEMBER 2010, EMIRATES DIVING ASSOCIATION 9