Dasyatis pastinaca

Size range: Max disc width 140 cm; Max TL 250 cm.

Common size: 45 cm (disc width).

Habitat: Soft. Sandy bottoms, usually close to rocks.

Water column position: Benthic

Colors & patterns:

• Olive to pale brown or grey colour. Sometimes golden around the eyes.
• Bumps along the midline of dorsal side.
• Distance between eyes shorter than snout length.
• Skin folds on the tail behind the spine.
• Sometimes row of thorns on tail, in large individuals.

Behavior:

1. Transient. Displays seasonality.
2. Diurnal.
3. Shy. Swims away quickly. Easily approached when buried in the sand.
4. Females during gestation are burrowed into the sand and hardly move.

Schooling characteristics: Small aggregations during mating season (Spring).

Native/Exotic: Native.

EM notes: Difficult to distinguish between D. chrysonota, D. pastinaca and D. marmorata.