Ray
Round Ribbontail Ray
Taeniurops meyeni
A large, rounded stingray mottled in grey and black, resting on sand around KZN's coral and rocky reefs.
Also known as black-blotched stingray, blotched fantail ray, ribbontail round, taeniura melanospilos
- Typical size
- Disc commonly 1-1.5 m across
- Habitat
- Sand patches, lagoons and reef edges
- Depth
- About 3-60 m
The round ribbontail ray is a big, thick-set stingray with a nearly circular disc marbled in grey, black and white, and a stout tail bearing a deep skin fold and one or more large venomous spines. It favours sandy patches, lagoons and reef edges along the KwaZulu-Natal coast and warmer reefs.
It cruises the bottom hunting fish, crabs and molluscs, often lying on sand between reefs by day. Generally placid, it will move off if approached calmly, but the tail spine can inflict a severe, painful wound, so divers should give the tail a wide berth and never corner one.