| Southern Eagle Ray | |
|---|---|
| Australian bull rays in the Melbourne Aquarium. | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Chondrichthyes |
| Subclass: | Elasmobranchii |
| Order: | Myliobatiformes |
| Family: | Myliobatidae |
| Genus: | Myliobatis |
| Species: | M. australis |
| Binomial name | |
| Myliobatis australis Macleay, 1881 |
|
The Australian bull ray (Myliobatis australis) or southern eagle ray is a large eagle ray of temperate waters of Australia. It is possibly the same species as the New Zealand eagle ray (Myliobatis tenuicaudatus).[1]
It is found in the southern waters of Australia from Jurien Bay, Western Australia, around the southern coast and Tasmania and up the east coast as far as Moreton Bay, south Queensland. It is uncommon at its northern limits (Moreton Bay and northern New South Wales).[1]
At maturity, the body (not including tail) reaches about 80 cm in width and 45 cm in length for females and 65 cm width and 40 cm length for males. The maximum width known is about 160 cm[1] and total length (including tail) is 240 cm.[2] It can weigh up to at least 87 kg. [3] It has a blunt snout with eyes on the sides of the head. Its long, whip-like tail carries a venomous spine.[2]
It is commonly found off beaches and in shallow water over sand flats. Individuals often enter very shallow water around dusk. It is also found as deep as 85 m.[1][4]
It eats mainly crustaceans (hermit crabs, swimmer crabs and shrimp), molluscs, echiurid worms and polychaetes.[1]