Ray
Dragon Stingray
Himantura draco
A little-known whipray of the KZN coast with a broad disc and a long, slender venomous tail.
Also known as dragon, dragon whipray
- Typical size
- Disc width variable, moderate to large
- Habitat
- Soft sand and mud bottoms
- Depth
- Inshore to moderate depths
The dragon stingray is a poorly documented whipray recorded from the KwaZulu-Natal coast. Like others in its group it has a broad, angular disc and a long, thin whip-like tail armed with a serrated venomous spine near the base. It is a bottom-dweller of soft sand and mud, where it lies partly buried and feeds on invertebrates and small fish.
Because the species is uncommon and little studied, few precise details are recorded. Anglers and divers should treat any stingray with caution, keeping well clear of the tail spine, which can inflict a serious wound. Handle captures only with the tail controlled, and prefer to release rays unharmed.