Eastern Shovelnose Stingaree

The pectoral fin disc of the eastern shovelnose stingaree is rounded in shape, wider than long, and thick at the center. The anterior margins of the disc are straight to gently convex, and converge at a blunt angle on the fleshy, non-protruding snout; the outer corners of the disc are broadly rounded. The medium-sized eyes are followed by larger comma-shaped spiracles with angular posterior rims and "tails" that curve down and forward to below the front third of the eyeball. The outer rim of each nostril is enlarged into a prominent, flattened lobe. Between the nostrils, there is a skirt-shaped curtain of skin with a deep midline furrow lined by papillae (nipple-like structures) and a deeply fringed posterior margin that overhangs the small mouth. The lower jaw conceals the upper and bears a dense patch of papillae. The floor of the mouth bears three papillae in the middle and one or two papillae near either corner. The teeth are blunt with oval bases, with those towards the interior and middle of the lower jaw becoming more triangular with serrated edges. They are arranged in a quincunx pattern, numbering around 22 upper and 24 lower rows. The five pairs of gill slits are S-shaped. The pelvic fins are modestly sized and roughly triangular; males have robust, tapering claspers. …

The eastern shovelnose stingaree is found off southeastern Australia from Jervis Bay in New South Wales to Beachport and probably Gulf St Vincent in South Australia. It occurs in the northern Bass Strait and has been seen off Flinders Island, but is evidently absent from Tasmania itself. The center of distribution for this ray is off Victoria, and it is abundant in Port Phillip and Western Port. A bottom-dwelling species, the eastern shovelnose stingaree favors sheltered, inshore habitats with soft bottoms, in water less than 5 m (16 ft) deep. However, it is known from as deep as 120 m (390 ft), and there is a record of a specimen, apparently of this species, collected from the continental slope at a depth of 200–440 m (660–1,440 ft).

The eastern shovelnose stingaree feeds on small benthic organisms, primarily polychaete worms, and excavates pits in search of its prey. Females have a single functional ovary, on the right, and are aplacental viviparous like other stingray species. Once fertilized, the relatively large eggs are retained in the uterus without developing for 5–8 months, after which the embryos emerge and rapidly develop to term over a period of 4–7 months. The embryos are at first sustained by internal and external yolk sacs; once the yolk supply is exhausted they are provided with nutrient-rich histotroph ("uterine milk") by the mother. Females bear one litter per year between late February and April, and ovulate a new batch of ova immediately afterward; the litter size is up to seven and increases with female size. The newborns measure 20–25 cm (7.9–9.8 in) long; the newborn weight of 150 g (5.3 oz) represents only a tenfold increase from the weight of the egg, the smallest such increase known from a live-bearing ray. Males attain sexual maturity at about 46 cm (18 in) long and 4.5 years of age, and females at about 49 cm (19 in) long and 5 years of age. The maximum lifespan is at least 10 years for males and 12 years for females.