Elasmobranchii (sharks and rays) >
Myliobatiformes (Stingrays) >
Urolophidae (Round rays)
Etymology: Urolophus: Greek, oura = tail + Greek, lophos = crest (Ref. 45335).
Eponymy: The FRV ‘Kapala’ (formerly of the NSW Fisheries Research Institute, Australia), from which the type specimens were collected, was honoured for the “…extremely valuable fish collections made by the vessel over almost three decades”. (Ref. 128868), visit book page.
More on authors: Yearsley & Last.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; benthopelagic; depth range 9 - 79 m (Ref. 75595). Subtropical; 27°S - 37°S, 150°E - 153°E (Ref. 75595)
Southwest Pacific: New South Wales, Australia.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - 30.9 cm
Max length : 43.3 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 75595); 52.1 cm TL (female)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
This medium-sized species which lacks broad lobes on posterolateral border of nostrils, has the following set of characters: disc subcircular to weakly rhomboidal, width less than 62% TL; internasal flap bell-shaped; tail with well-developed lateral cutaneous folds; stinging spine long, 12-15% TL; dorsal fin low but prominent, free-rear tip over spine origin; total vertebrae 156-170; pre-spine vertebrae 86-95; dorsal surface of disc greenish, paler laterally; usually with dark suborbital blotch and V-shaped interorbital bar (Ref. 75595).
Serrated spines on the tail are venomous and can cause excruciating pain (https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/3544).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Yearsley, G.K. and P.R. Last, 2006. Urolophus kapalensis sp. nov., a new stingree (Myliobatiformes: Urolophidae) off eastern Australia. Zootaxa 1176:41-52. (Ref. 75595)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)
Threat to humans
Venomous
Human uses
Tools
Special reports
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Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature (Ref.
123201): 19.2 - 22.3, mean 20.5 °C (based on 16 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00813 (0.00372 - 0.01775), b=3.08 (2.88 - 3.28), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.5 ±0.4 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Moderate vulnerability (41 of 100).
Nutrients (Ref.
124155): Calcium = 12.5 [1.6, 246.7] mg/100g; Iron = 0.585 [0.054, 6.844] mg/100g; Protein = 19.6 [14.3, 24.9] %; Omega3 = 0.211 [0.063, 0.611] g/100g; Selenium = 19.5 [3.4, 100.3] μg/100g; VitaminA = 14.3 [1.0, 168.4] μg/100g; Zinc = 0.715 [0.046, 8.591] mg/100g (wet weight);
