Taxonomy
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Chondrichthyes
- Order
- Myliobatiformes
- Family
- Dasyatidae
- Genus
- Taeniura
- Species
- grabata
Habitat
This species inhabits shallow coastal waters, including bays, estuaries, and coral reefs, typically over sandy or muddy substrates. It is found in tropical and subtropical regions of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, often at depths of up to 50 meters. They prefer areas with ample cover to bury themselves during the day.
Diet
The round fantail stingray primarily feeds on benthic invertebrates such as crabs, shrimp, and mollusks, which it uncovers by flapping its disc to stir up sediment. It forages mainly at night on the ocean floor, occasionally consuming small fish. Feeding behavior involves using its mouth to suck up prey from the substrate.
Behavior
These stingrays are primarily solitary and nocturnal, spending daylight hours buried in sand to avoid detection. They exhibit defensive behavior by whipping their venomous tail spine when threatened, and they are not strongly territorial but may migrate seasonally with water temperatures. When swimming, they use a graceful, undulating motion of their pectoral fins.
Conservation Status
Listed as Data Deficient by IUCN.