The Stingray Shore: The common stingray in the UK and why the New Forest shore is a stronghold. Dr. Georgina Samoluk (on behalf of Dom Longley) January 2020 Common stingray: Dasyatis pastinaca IUCN status: “Data deficient” Declared “Near threatened” in certain areas of the Mediterranean & NE Atlantic. May have disappeared from the Bay of Biscay Several protected sites in the Balearics Difficult species to study – no formal UK research. Range: Anatomy: dorsal Spiracles (breathing inlets) Stingers (usually 2) “Claspers”: male sex organs Pectoral fin / “wing” (thick & muscular compared with other rays) Anatomy: ventral Mouth: teeth form two rough, crushing pads, consisting of modified scales Nostrils Breathing: the primary route for Gill slits water intake is the mouth – the spiracles are less efficient & are used when the ray is at rest on the seabed or is buried with only eyes & spiracles protruding. Skeleton: As an Elasmobranch (sharks, skates, rays & sawfishes) the common stingray has an entirely cartilaginous skeleton. With no swim bladder, buoyancy is aided by the large, oily liver General ecology: Diet: • Crabs, worms, molluscs, fish, cephalopods, carrion Breeding: • Migrate into warm, shallow coastal waters in late spring • Aplacental viviparous: embryos develop inside eggs that remain in the mother's body until they are ready • Two litters of 4-9 “pups” each summer, in warm, shallow coastal waters “The Stingray Shore”: Lymington to Lepe – why such a special habitat? • Shallow • Warm • Sheltered • Food-rich • Relatively unmodified • Relatively undisturbed • Sowley & Park shores fishing hotspots Stingray food Food heaven: …peeler, or “softback” crab (moulting shore crab) Tabloid nonsense: Earliest known depiction of a stingray in Europe; 1553 (they’re common in aboriginal art) Were they known to the medieval inhabitants of the New Forest? Old English name is “Fire Flaire” • Sting is defensive only – muscular tail operates like a scorpion tail, curling over to protect vulnerable back. • Sting is very sharp, serrated, coated in a venomous membrane & conveys venom via two groves on underside. • Pain is extremely intense for first two hours & flares up again if area is touched. • Being stung plays a role in some tribal rituals, in which the experience is thought to be transcendental. • If lost, stings grow back within weeks. • Programmes of regular seine netting & sting removal operate at several southern US swimming beaches, with no apparent impact on stingray survival. Two 15lb males, caught from a kayak in waist- deep water at Sowley shore. Research demonstrates that £1 gardening gloves from In Excess provide poor protection from stings British record stingray: 78lb 6oz Caught 2nd Sept 2015 Chesil Beach A 67lb 8oz from Sowley shore Great stingray habitat means great smooth hound habitat For fantastic factsheets on skate & ray species, visit: www.sharktrust.com Thank you for listening! For more information on the presentation please contact: Dom Longley [email protected] .