DiscoverSpeciesSharks and rays
Japanese butterflyray
Gymnura japonica
- Usual depth3–30 m
- Water temperature18–29 °C
- Best monthsJanuary, May, and October
- How commonRare
About this species
Gymnura japonica, the Japanese butterfly ray, is a species of ray in the family Gymnuridae. It is found from Japan to Cambodia.
Text from the Wikipedia article “Gymnura japonica”, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the article
Where and when
Where it has been recorded
Worldwide
Loading the map
Best months
Worldwide (open data)
- January: 8 records
- February: 3 records
- March: 0 records
- April: 5 records
- May: 11 records
- June: 1 records
- July: 3 records
- August: 7 records
- September: 1 records
- October: 8 records
- November: 0 records
- December: 2 records
Depth and water temperature
Depth
Mostly recorded at 3–30 m · Deepest record: 37.5 m
Water temperature
Recorded in surface water of 18–29 °C
Names and classification
- English
- Japanese butterflyray, Japanese Butterfly Ray, Twin-spot Butterfly Ray
Names in 4 more languages
- German
- Japanischer Schmetterlingsrochen
- Japanese
- Tsubakuro-ei, Tsubakuroei, ツバクロエイ
- Thai
- ปลากระเบนผีเสื้อญี่ปุ่น
- Simplified Chinese
- 日本燕魟, 日本鳶魟, 臭尿破魴, 魴仔
Other scientific names: Gymmura japonica, Pteroplatea japonica
Similar species
Smooth butterfly rayGymnura micrura
- Australian Butterfly Ray
Gymnura australis
Longtail Butterfly RayGymnura poecilura
- Zonetail Butterfly Ray
Gymnura zonurus
Sources and credits
Names and taxonomy: WoRMS (CC BY 4.0) and the GBIF Backbone (CC BY 4.0). Photos: iNaturalist observers, each under the licence shown (CC0, CC BY or CC BY-SA).
- Depth, temperature, months and maps: records from OBIS and GBIF under CC0 or CC BY.
- Descriptions: Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA, each linked to its article.
- Conservation status as published by GBIF (IUCN Red List).
- 95 open-data records from 1936 to 2021.
- Species data updated November 3, 2026.
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