Oceania fantail ray (Taeniura lessoni)
Source-cited species reference: taxonomy from WoRMS, biology from FishBase, occurrence map from GBIF, conservation from IUCN Red List, description from Wikipedia.
Last updated
Distribution map plotted from GBIF.org occurrence records; basemap Natural Earth 110m · GBIF records CC0 / CC BY; Natural Earth public domain
Taeniura lessoni, the Oceania fantail ray, is a type of ray of the family Dasyatidae found in Melanesia, including Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. It inhabits shallow coastal region of at least 18 m depth and is possibly susceptible to habitat-level threats which targeted its habitat.
Scientific classification
- KingdomAnimalia
- PhylumChordata
- ClassChondrichthyes
- SubclassElasmobranchii
- OrderMyliobatiformes
- FamilyDasyatidae
- GenusTaeniura
- SpeciesTaeniura lessoni
Named by Last, W. T. White, & Naylor, 2016
Close relatives
Other species of Taeniura with a Codexery entry.
- Bluespotted ribbontail ray Taeniura lymma
Sources: Wikipedia taxobox: Taeniura lessoni (CC BY-SA 4.0) · order, family and genus agree with WoRMS AphiaID 1043629 (CC BY 4.0)
Conservation status
Data Deficient (DD)
Data Deficient: there is not enough information to place this species on the risk scale.
Source: IUCN Red List assessment · GBIF copy of the Red List category
How big is it?
Largest length in the source, 0.21 m, next to a 1.8 m person.
Diagram: drawn by Codexery, schematic shapes to scale (not a likeness). Length: FishBase species summary
Where the oceania fantail ray (taeniura lessoni) has been recorded
Each dot is a place where the species has been observed and reported (125 records, half-degree grid) — not a modelled range. 4 inland records left out (institution coordinates).
Map: drawn by Codexery. Data: GBIF occurrence search (records CC0 / CC BY) · Natural Earth basemap (public domain)
Classification (WoRMS)
Full classification as recorded by WoRMS: Kingdom: Animalia · Phylum: Chordata · Class: Elasmobranchii · Order: Myliobatiformes · Family: Dasyatidae · Genus: Taeniura.
Accepted name: Taeniura lessoni · Authority: Last, White & Naylor, 2016 · Taxonomic status: accepted · AphiaID: 1043629.
Source: World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=1043629 (CC BY 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-25.
Biology and life history (FishBase)
Measured values published by FishBase for Taeniura lessoni. Only fields the database actually holds for this species are shown; these are database values, not aquarium guidance.
Maximum length: 20.899999618530273 cm · Habitat zone: pelagic-neritic · Body shape: other · Vulnerability index: 90 of 100 · Aquarium trade: never/rarely.
FishBase notes: This species probably occur mainly inshore, with types collected from surge channels in fringing coral reefs, to at least 18 m depth (Ref. 110363)..
Source: FishBase species summary (SpecCode 68038) — https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Taeniura-lessoni.html (CC BY-NC 3.0 — non-commercial use only). Accessed 2026-09-25.
Distribution and occurrence records (GBIF)
125 georeferenced occurrence records for Taeniura lessoni are published through GBIF from 4 countries or marine areas. The map above plots 29 distinct locations from a sample of 125 records, omitting 4 inland records that carry an institution's coordinates rather than a collection site; it shows where the species has been observed and reported, not a modelled range.
Most records by country or area: Fiji (82); Solomon Islands (15); Vanuatu (15); Wallis and Futuna (13).
Source: GBIF Occurrence Search (taxonKey 8924878) — https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/search?taxon_key=8924878&has_coordinate=true (records CC0 / CC BY); WoRMS distribution records (MarineRegions) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=1043629 (CC BY 4.0); Natural Earth 110m basemap — https://www.naturalearthdata.com/ (public domain). Accessed 2026-09-25.
Conservation status (IUCN Red List)
The IUCN Red List assesses Taeniura lessoni Last, White & Naylor, 2016 as Data Deficient (code DD). No trend, population estimate or threat analysis is given here, because none is available from this source without the Red List API; follow the source link for the full assessment, including its date.
Source: IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (taxon 116855477) — https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/116855477/0; GBIF IUCN Red List category endpoint (taxonKey 8924878) — https://api.gbif.org/v1/species/8924878/iucnRedListCategory. Accessed 2026-09-25.
Description and natural history (Wikipedia)
Oceania fantail ray can be distinguished by numerous characteristics, including the absence of a pair of blue-ish longitudinal stripes along the tail's sides, absence of dorsal fold but upper margin of tail with a firm ridge, relatively short post-orbital disc, and uniformly pale ventral fold. It can reach a maximum size of around 21 or 22 cm disc width.
This species is usually found inshore, especially coral reefs habitat, in the depth of around 18 m. These rays have been found in Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, and Fiji, although the distribution range might be wider.
There are no details or reports regarding Oceania fantail ray being captured by fisheries. The only possible threat to this species might be a habitat-level one, such as coral bleaching resulted by climate change.
The fish is named in honor of René Lesson (1794–1849), a French surgeon-naturalist, who once worked on the members of this genus in Melanesia, where this stingray is found.
Source: Wikipedia: Taeniura lessoni — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taeniura_lessoni (CC BY-SA 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-25.
Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Taeniura lessoni (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Classification: the source article's taxobox; order, family and genus checked against WoRMS, the World Register of Marine Species (CC BY 4.0).
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List assessment.
- Occurrence records: GBIF (CC0 / CC BY). Basemap: Natural Earth (public domain).
- Biology values: FishBase species summary (CC BY-NC 3.0, non-commercial).
- Word definitions: the , each quoted from its Wikipedia article.
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