Redescription of a Poorly Known Stingray, Dasyatis laevigata (Chondrichthyes: Dasyatidae), with Notes on Some Biological Aspects in Ariake Sea, Japan

Abstract

The poorly known dasyatid stingray Dasyatis laevigata Chu, 1960 is redescribed on the basis of a single syntype and 18 recently collected specimens from Ariake Sea, Japan, and the East China Sea. Sexual dimorphism and growth-related variation in taxonomic characters are considered, and life history characteristics, such as distribution and size at maturity, are clarified on the basis of an additional 464 specimens.