Gymnura australis, Australian butterfly ray : fisheries

Gymnura australis (Ramsay & Ogilby, 1886)

Australian butterfly ray
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Gymnura australis
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Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa

Elasmobranchii (sharks and rays) > Myliobatiformes (Stingrays) > Gymnuridae (Butterfly rays)
Etymology: Gymnura: Greek, gymnos = naked + Greek, oura = tail (Ref. 45335).
More on authors: Ramsay & Ogilby.

Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecology

Marine; demersal; depth range 250 - ? m (Ref. 114953). Tropical; 2°S - 35°S, 111°E - 155°E (Ref. 114953)

Distribution Territories | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri

Indo-West Pacific: northern Australia and south coast of New Guinea (Refs. 9819, 114953). Also in the Arafura Sea (Ref. 9819).

Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: Lm 37.5, range 35 - 40 cm
Max length : 94.0 cm WD male/unsexed; (Ref. 114953); max. published weight: 7.4 kg (Ref. 114953)

Biology     Glossary (e.g. epibenthic)

A benthic species. Found on coastal to offshore on continental shelf in open sandy, muddy and silty habitat, including estuaries and intertidal zones. Mainly feeds on bony fishes (Ref. 114953). Ovoviviparous (Ref. 50449). Maturity size 35-42 cm WD (males) and 44-46 cm WD (females); hatch size 22-25 cm DW. Produces litters of 1-6 pups (Ref. 114953). Caught by shrimp trawlers.

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae

Exhibit ovoviparity (aplacental viviparity), with embryos feeding initially on yolk, then receiving additional nourishment from the mother by indirect absorption of uterine fluid enriched with mucus, fat or protein through specialised structures (Ref. 50449). Distinct pairing with embrace (Ref. 205).

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator : McEachran, John | Collaborators

Last, P.R. and J.D. Stevens, 1994. Sharks and rays of Australia. CSIRO, Australia. 513 p. (Ref. 6871)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-2)

  Least Concern (LC) ; Date assessed: 24 April 2024

CITES

Not Evaluated

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

  Harmless





Human uses

Fisheries: minor commercial
FAO - Publication: search | FishSource |

More information

Trophic ecology
Food items (preys)
Diet composition
Food consumption
Food rations
Predators
Ecology
Ecology
Population dynamics
Growth parameters
Max. ages / sizes
Length-weight rel.
Length-length rel.
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Maturity
Maturity/Gills rel.
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Eggs
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Distribution
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Anatomy
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References
References

Tools

E-book | Field guide | Identification keys | Length-frequency wizard | Life-history tool | Point map | Catch-MSY |

Special reports

Check for Aquarium maintenance | Check for Species Fact Sheets | Check for Aquaculture Fact Sheets

Download XML

Summary page | Point data | Common names | Photos

Internet sources

AFORO (otoliths) | Aquatic Commons | BHL | Cloffa | Websites from users | Check FishWatcher | CISTI | Catalog of Fishes: genus, species | DiscoverLife | ECOTOX | FAO - Publication: search | Faunafri | Fishipedia | Fishtrace | GloBI | Google Books | Google Scholar | Google | IGFA World Record | OneZoom | Open Tree of Life | Otolith Atlas of Taiwan Fishes | PubMed | Reef Life Survey | Socotra Atlas | TreeBase | Tree of Life | Wikipedia: Go, Search |