Common name(s)

Coral Sea Maskray, New Caledonian Maskray, Bluespotted Maskray/Stingray.

Binomial

Neotrygon trigonoides.

Synonym(s)

Neotrygon kuhlii, Dasyatis kuhlii.

Identification

A small stingray with a kite-shaped disc that is wider than long; disc width 1.3 x length. Snout short, and bluntly angular. Tip of snout not extended. Anterior margins of disc straight or weakly undulate. Pectoral fin apices angular and slightly falcate. Pelvic fins large, apices angular, posterior margins slightly convex.
Eyes large and protruding. Snout length ~1.4 x combined eye and spiracle length. Mouth small, containing 2 large central oral papillae. Prominent labial furrows and folds around mouth. Nasal curtain narrow and skirt-shaped; posterior margin concave and heavily fringed. Nostrils thin.
Denticles on disc usually absent. Tail broad and depressed at base, tapering gently to caudal sting, then thin but firm to tip. No prickly denticles on tail. Ventral finfold long and low. Dorsal finfold short and low. Usually 1 tail sting.

Colour

Dorsum yellowish to reddish brown with a distinct brown band across eyes, and numerous usually smaller than eye-sized pale blueish spots (sometimes with very pale centres), and scattered very small black speckles. Speckle pattern denser on nape. Blueish spots mostly distributed centrally to mid disc; absent towards disc margin. Dark mask across eyes does not extend backwards to nape. Ventrum mostly white.
Tail dusky brown anteriorly, darker posteriorly with one or two wide white bands near tip. Skinfolds dark brown.

Size

Maximum disc width at least 35cm.