A TAXONOMIC REEVALUATION OF THE BLUE STINGRAY FROM SOUTHERN AFRICA (MYLIOBATIFORMES, DASYATIDAE)

The taxonomic status of the southern African stingray usually referred to Dasyatis pastinaca was investigated. Morphological comparisons wer e made between specimens of the European Dasyatis pastinaca (Linnaeus 1758), Dasyatis marmorata (Steindachner 1892) from Senegal (Senegambia ), and the blue stingray from South Africa and Namibia. The earliest n ame for blue stingrays is the generally overlooked Trigon chrysonotus Smith, 1828 from South Africa, which is revived, redescribed and has a neotype designated for it. The southern African blue stingray is a se parate species from D. pastinaca and differs in coloration, disc lengt h and vertebral and radial counts. However, the southern African blue stingray is considered conspecific with D. marmorata but differs sligh tly in snout angle and snout-to-vent length. These two are tentatively ranked as subspecies, Dasyatis chrysonota chrysonota (Smith 1828) for the blue stingray of South Africa, Namibia and Angola and D. C. marmo rata (Steindachner 1892) for the Senegal blue stingray. Nominal record s of blue stingrays exist from Tunisia, Spanish Sahara (Morocco) and M auritania, tropical West Africa from Liberia to Nigeria, and off Congo , but their status is uncertain. It is uncertain if the known differen ces between the Senegal and southern African blue stingrays are repres entative of a north-south clinal gradation, or if there are two or mor e discrete populations of blue stingrays in the northern and southern hemispheres.