Indonesian sharpnose ray (Telatrygon biasa)
Source-cited species reference: taxonomy from WoRMS, biology from FishBase, occurrence map from GBIF, conservation from IUCN Red List, description from Wikipedia.
Telatrygon biasa, the Indonesian sharpnose ray, is a type of whiptail stingray identified from many reported specimens in the Indo-Malay Archipelago (including Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, and Thailand). It inhabits shallow coastal region up to approximately 40 meters depth. It is currently experiencing population decrease due to being captured by small-scale local fisheries and retained as human consumption.
- Scientific name
- Telatrygon biasa
- Authority
- Last, White & Naylor, 2016
- Family
- Dasyatidae
- Order
- Myliobatiformes
- Maximum length
- 28.700000762939453 cm
- Habitat zone
- pelagic-neritic
- Iucn red list
- Vulnerable
- Gbif occurrence records
- 20
Classification (WoRMS)
Full classification as recorded by WoRMS: Kingdom: Animalia · Phylum: Chordata · Class: Elasmobranchii · Order: Myliobatiformes · Family: Dasyatidae · Genus: Telatrygon.
Accepted name: Telatrygon biasa · Authority: Last, White & Naylor, 2016 · Taxonomic status: accepted · AphiaID: 1043626.
Source: World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=1043626 (CC BY 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-23.
Biology and life history (FishBase)
Measured values published by FishBase for Telatrygon biasa. Only fields the database actually holds for this species are shown; these are database values, not aquarium guidance.
Maximum length: 28.700000762939453 cm · Habitat zone: pelagic-neritic · Body shape: other · Vulnerability index: 90 of 100 · Aquarium trade: never/rarely.
FishBase notes: Demersal on the continental and insular shelves of up to approximately 40 m depth. Birth size is 7.0 - 9.0 cm WD (Ref. 110363).
Source: FishBase species summary (SpecCode 68036) — https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Telatrygon-biasa.html (CC BY-NC 3.0 — non-commercial use only). Accessed 2026-09-23.
Distribution and occurrence records (GBIF)
20 georeferenced occurrence records for Telatrygon biasa are published through GBIF from 4 countries or marine areas. The map above plots 4 distinct locations from a sample of 20 records, omitting 5 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: Malaysia (14); Singapore (3); Thailand (2); Indonesia (1).
Source: GBIF Occurrence Search (taxonKey 9223307) — https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/search?taxon_key=9223307&has_coordinate=true (records CC0 / CC BY); WoRMS distribution records (MarineRegions) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=1043626 (CC BY 4.0); Natural Earth 110m basemap — https://www.naturalearthdata.com/ (public domain). Accessed 2026-09-23.
Conservation status (IUCN Red List)
The IUCN Red List assesses Telatrygon biasa Last, White & Naylor, 2016 as Vulnerable (code VU). 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 116855963) — https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/116855963/0; GBIF IUCN Red List category endpoint (taxonKey 9223307) — https://api.gbif.org/v1/species/9223307/iucnRedListCategory. Accessed 2026-09-23.
Description and natural history (Wikipedia)
The fish's name is an Indonesian and Malaysian word meaning “ordinary, common or normal,” referring to its frequent occurrence in the local fish markets of the western North Pacific
This sharpnose ray has several characteristics, including relatively short snout and disc, small eyes, 107-114 pectoral radials, and 85-94 vertebral centra in total. It can reach the maximum size of 29 cm disc width, while the birth size is around 7-9 cm disc width.
This demersal species is found living at the depths of up to 40 m in the coastal regions of Indonesia (Sumatra, Java, Borneo, and Bali), Malaysia (Malay Peninsula, Sabah, and Sarawak), Singapore, Brunei Darussalam, and Thailand.
Indonesian sharpnose rays are often caught by local or national fisheries as fresh or salted seafood delicacies for local communities. Its species name "biasa", meaning "ordinary" in Malay and Indonesian, might suggest that this ray is commonly consumed and found in local fish markets.
Source: Wikipedia: Telatrygon biasa — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telatrygon_biasa (CC BY-SA 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-23.
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