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Cowhead eagle ray (Myliobatis tobijei) — Myliobatidae

Cowhead eagle ray

Myliobatis tobijei
Family: Myliobatidae

The Cowhead eagle ray (Myliobatis tobijei) is a saltwater fish of the family Myliobatidae that grows up to 150 cm.

Length
150 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
0.0–220.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Solitary
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Irregular
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Venomous / poisonous
Edibility
Rarely eaten

Description

The cowhead eagle ray is an eagle ray (Myliobatidae) from coastal waters of the northwest Pacific, off East Asia. The species grows to about 1 metre wide and has a rhomboid body with broad, wing-like pectoral fins, a projecting, cow-like head and a long, whip-like tail with one or more serrated venomous spines. With flat crushing plates it crushes molluscs and crustaceans from sandy bottoms. It is not aggressive, but the tail spine can inflict a painful, venomous wound.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Cowhead eagle ray?

The Cowhead eagle ray has an irregular in shape body, is mainly brown and shows a plain pattern.

Where does the Cowhead eagle ray live?

The Cowhead eagle ray lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom.

How big does the Cowhead eagle ray get?

The Cowhead eagle ray grows to a maximum of about 150 cm.

Is the Cowhead eagle ray dangerous to humans?

The Cowhead eagle ray is venomous — handle spines with care and seek medical help after a sting if needed.

Is the Cowhead eagle ray edible?

The Cowhead eagle ray is rarely eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Vliegervormige adelaarsrog sourced
English name
Cowhead eagle ray verified
Scientific name
Myliobatis tobijei
Family
Myliobatidae
Other names
Eagle ray; Japanese eagle ray; Kite ray verified

Appearance

Size class
Extra large verified
Max length (cm)
150.0 verified
Body shape
Irregular sourced
Dominant colour
Brown sourced
Pattern
Plain sourced
Tail shape
Straight inferred
Mouth position
Inferior (downward) sourced
Lips
Thin sourced
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
One continuous sourced
Dorsal spines
No sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Min depth (m)
0.0 verified
Max depth (m)
220.0 verified
Origin
Native verified

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Social behaviour
Solitary sourced
Territorial
No sourced
Activity
Diurnal sourced
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No sourced

For anglers

Edibility
Rarely eaten sourced
Fishing method
Netvisserij sourced
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Venomous / poisonous verified

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Myliobatis

More from the family Myliobatidae

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