On Tuesday, the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi reported the discovery of a new species of eagle ray in the emirate’s seas. The new species (Aetomylaeus wafickii) was found in 2016 from specimens taken in the Arabian Gulf during a fish stock assessment study.
At the time, the specimen was classified as a banded eagle ray, which looks extremely similar. The EAD stated that it was declared novel following comprehensive analysis and the publication of a scientific report outlining its physical description.
The new species differs from the blue-banded eagle ray and banded eagle ray by having more pale-blue bands over its dorsal surface (8 to 10 bands), more tooth plate rows, and a smaller tail. On February 11, this description was published in the journal Marine Biodiversity.
.@EADTweets has found a new Eagle Ray species in Abu Dhabi’s waters, reflecting the unique biodiversity and health of waters in the emirate. The discovery was made from specimens collected during a Fisheries Resource Assessment, a survey of fish stocks in UAE territorial waters. pic.twitter.com/4Cy83wZA0L
— مكتب أبوظبي الإعلامي (@ADMediaOffice) April 26, 2022
“It is very exciting for us to discover a new species of eagle ray in Abu Dhabi,” said Ahmed Al Hashmi, executive director of the terrestrial and marine biodiversity division at the EAD. “This is a prominent indication that our waters are healthy and that we have an abundance of marine biodiversity.”
Eagle rays are demersal and semi-pelagic rays, which means they mostly feed on the bottom to midwater and are located along coasts. Their body size ranges from modest to huge (60cm to more than 200cm disc width) and they have a wing-like structure. Eagle rays eat on mollusks and crustaceans, as well as worms and tiny, bony fish, with their powerful jaws and plate-like teeth.
Their skeletons, like sharks’, are made of cartilage rather than bone. They are commonly known as “flat sharks” because of their flattish form. Most batoids are bottom feeders, digging out shrimp and crustaceans from the ocean floor to help oxygenate the sediment and keep the ecosystem healthy.
