Marine scientists have identified a new species of the stingray genus Neotrygon living in Fijian waters.
Live coloration of Neotrygon romeoi from around Fiji. Image credit: Glaus et al., doi: 10.1111/jfb.70094.
Neotrygon is a genus of stingrays widely distributed in the Indo-West Pacific.
Commonly known as the maskrays, these creatures are distinguished from others in the family Dasyatidae by their dark band in the interorbital region, a black-and-white banding on the posterior half of the tail and two papillae in the mouth.
Currently, there are 17 valid Neotrygon species, ten of which have been described since 2016.
The majority of these species (14) are considered to belong to a blue-spotted maskray complex.
The newly-discovered species is part of this complex and is found only in Fijian waters.
Named Neotrygon romeoi, it was long confused with Neotrygon kuhlii and Neotrygon trigonoides.
“It stands out with its broad, angular snout, long claspers in adult males, and a row of thorn-like spines running from the neck to the base of the tail,” said Dr. Kerstin Glaus, a researcher at the University of the South Pacific.
“The ray’s brown back is decorated with dark mask-like markings across the eyes, two large blotches behind the spiracles, and numerous small black spots — especially around the face.”
Neotrygon romeoi was described based on nine specimens (31-39.7 cm disc width) bought from the Suva Fish Market and collected from local fishermen. Importantly, no rays were killed specifically for the study.
“Rays are among the most threatened marine organisms,” Dr. Glaus said.
“Given the Fiji maskray’s limited range, high catch rate, and unknown life history, we recommend that it be considered for protection under Fiji’s Endangered and Protected Species Act, which among others applies to endemic sharks and rays and helps conserve native biodiversity by regulating trade, protection, and use of species at risk.”
“This discovery highlights Fiji’s unique natural heritage and the urgent need to better understand and protect our marine species,” added Lavenie Tawake, team leader for the Pacific-European Union Marine Partnership (PEUMP) program.
The discovery of Neotrygon romeoi is reported in a paper published in the Journal of Fish Biology.
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Kerstin Glaus et al. A new blue-spotted Maskray species (Neotrygon, Dasyatidae) from Fiji. Journal of Fish Biology, published online June 9, 2025; doi: 10.1111/jfb.70094