australian cownose ray

Photo: Shaun Morris/AU Museum

The Australian Cownose Ray, Rhinoptera neglecta, has been observed in the north/east coast of Australia. They belong to the Rhinoptera family, and this family occurs in tropical and subtropical seas worldwide, often found entering estuaries. They should not be confused with the second species of cownose ray that occurs in Australian waters, the Javanese Cownose Ray, Rhinoptera javanica.

The Australian Cownose Ray is a dark grey colour on top that gives way to a white underbelly. Like other majestic flap flaps, they have a whip-like tale and have one or more serrated spines near the base of said tail. They fly through the water, known to group in big schools, and rely on their plate-like teeth to crush and grind crustaceans and other invertebrates. The IUCN has assessed them as Data Deficient (DD) because of how little we know about them.

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GLOSSARY

• IUCN: International Union for Conservation of Nature.​

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