Marine life  /  Sharks & rays  /  Common stingaree
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Species entry

Common stingaree

Trygonoptera testacea

A small round temperate ray, usually part-buried on sand beside reef on the east coast.

Size
To 45 cm
Depth
1–30 m
Habitat
Sand beside temperate reef, east coast
Active
Day and night
Range
Australia
Rarity
Australia
2 stars of 5, usually seen in a week
SP-01
common stingaree · full body · habitat
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To about 45 cm, a small round temperate ray, brown or grey, part-buried on sand beside reef on the east coast of Australia. It is one of several similar stingarees and is separated from them on the tail and fin details rather than on colour.

A venomous barb on the tail, used only when the animal is trodden on. It buries in the sand a diver kneels on to photograph something else, which is the whole of the problem. Shuffle in the shallows, and look before you settle.

Where to find:

LocationRarity Best monthsDepthHabitat
Australia Australia editorial estimate
2 stars of 5, usually seen in a week
Year-round
1–30 m
Sand beside temperate reef, east coast

Ratings are per location: 1 means found on most dives that look for it, 5 means a handful of records. Where enough dives have been logged the figure is calculated from them; otherwise it is an editorial estimate, and says so. We publish habitat and destination, not the dive site.

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