The southern fiddler ray (Trygonorrhina dumerilii) is a medium sized shovelnose ray with an oval disc. Their nostrils are partly covered by a fleshy flap. Their skin is covered with a pattern of dark edged bands, with their upper side being yellowish brown in color with dark grey bands across its back. Their ventral surface is pale, like many Chondrichthyans. Born at a rather small size (measuring 21-25 cm), the adults can get up to 146 cm in length. Males are known to mature at 70 cm while females mature at a much larger 89 cm. These rays can be seen off Southern Australian waters, including Tasmania. Here, they even a diverse diet of crustaceans, fish, polychaetes, and molluscs. The southern fiddler rays are viviparous, giving birth to 2-5 pups from April to May after a 12 month gestation. They are common bycatch in Australian trawls, and the IUCN has listed them as Least Concern (LC). ever heard of this ray?glossary
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AuthorTFUI Founder Melissa C. Marquez is author of all animal bios and "Behind the Fins" segments. SEE MELISSA'S TEDx TALK HERE:
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