DiscoverSpeciesSharks and rays
Brown Stingray
Hemitrygon fluviorum
- Usual depth0–31 m
- Water temperature19–28 °C
- Best monthsFebruary, March, and April
- How commonOccasional
Photo credit: (c) Insequent Ways, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist
About this species
The estuary stingray, also called the estuary stingaree or brown stingray, is a species of stingray in the family Dasyatidae. Endemic to eastern Australia, it typically inhabits shallow, mangrove-lined tidal rivers, estuaries, and bays in southern Queensland and New South Wales. This yellow-brown to olive ray grows to at least 93 cm (37 in) across. It has a diamond-shaped pectoral fin disc and a mostly smooth, whip-like tail bearing both dorsal and ventral fin folds. It can additionally be identified by its long, narrow nostrils and the row of thorns along the midline of its back.
Text from the Wikipedia article “Estuary stingray”, 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: 57 records
- February: 261 records
- March: 277 records
- April: 285 records
- May: 254 records
- June: 140 records
- July: 93 records
- August: 40 records
- September: 43 records
- October: 40 records
- November: 22 records
- December: 28 records
Depth and water temperature
Depth
Mostly recorded at 0–31 m · Deepest record: 409 m
Water temperature
Recorded in surface water of 19–28 °C
Photos
no rights reserved, uploaded by Richard Fuller · CC0 1.0 · iNaturalist 
(c) Sockrosma, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist 
(c) Tim, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist 
(c) Oscar Dove, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist 
(c) Will Cornwell, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist 
(c) Lachlan Copeland, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · CC BY-SA · iNaturalist 
(c) Tim, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist
Names and classification
- English
- Brown Stingray, Estuary Stingaree, Estuary stingray
Names in 1 more languages
- Thai
- ปลากระเบนปากแม่น้ำ
Other scientific names: Dasyatis fluviorum
Similar species
Red StingrayHemitrygon akajei
Bennett's stingrayHemitrygon bennettii
- Merauke Stingray
Hemitrygon longicauda
- Dwarf Black Stingray
Hemitrygon parvonigra
Bathytoshia matsubaraiBathytoshia brevicaudata
Reef stingrayTaeniura lymma
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).
- 1,270 open-data records from 1974 to 2014.
- Species data updated November 3, 2026.
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