| Peppered maskray | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Chondrichthyes |
| Subclass: | Elasmobranchii |
| Order: | Myliobatiformes |
| Family: | Dasyatidae |
| Genus: | Neotrygon |
| Species: | N. picta
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| Binomial name | |
| Neotrygon picta Last & W. T. White, 2008
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| Range of the peppered maskray[2] | |
The peppered maskray (Neotrygon picta) or speckled maskray, is a species of stingray in the family Dasyatidae, found in shallow waters off northeastern Australia. This small, thin-bodied ray attains a maximum width of 32 cm (13 in). It has a diamond-shaped pectoral fin disc with a row of tiny thorns along the midline, and a relatively short, whip-like tail with both upper and lower fin folds. Its upper surface has a speckled color pattern consisting of black spots and brownish reticulations on a light yellow to brown background.
Favoring soft-bottomed habitats, the peppered maskray is a bottom-dwelling predator consuming mainly crustaceans (particularly caridean shrimp) and polychaete worms. It is viviparous, with litter sizes of one to three. The females supply their developing young with histotroph ("uterine milk") during gestation. Although the peppered maskray is a frequent bycatch of bottom trawl fisheries, it is still common and significant portions of its population appear to lie within unfished waters. As a result, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has assessed it as Least Concern.
- ^ Pierce, S.J.; White, W.T.; Jacobsen, I.P.; Barratt, P.J.; Last, P.R.; Kyne, P.M. (2015). "Neotrygon picta". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2015: e.T195464A68636975. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T195464A68636975.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
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