{{Short description|Species of fish}} {{cs1 config |display-authors=6}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2025}} {{Speciesbox | image = | status = LC | status_system = IUCN3.1 | status_ref = <ref name="Sherman_2022">{{cite IUCN|last1=Sherman |first1=C. S. |last2=Bin Ali |first2=A. |last3=Bineesh |first3=K. K. |last4=Derrick |first4=D. |last5=Dharmadi |first5=Fahmi |last6=Fernando |first6=D. |last7=Haque |first7=A. B. |last8=Maung |first8=A. |last9=Seyha |first9=L. |last10=Tanay |first10=D. |last11=Utzurrum |first11=J. A. T. |last12=Vo |first12=V. Q. |last13=Yuneni |first13=R. R. |year=2022 |title=''Neotrygon orientalis'' |amends=2021 |volume=2022 |article-number=e.T104167028A212575008 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2022-1.RLTS.T104167028A212575008.en |access-date=22 November 2025}}</ref> | genus = Neotrygon | species = orientalis | authority = Last, White & Serét, 2016 }}
[[File:Neotryg_orienta_190929-071331_lab.jpg | thumb | right | Neotrygon orientalis, sold at the Labuan fish market in Pandeglang, Banten, Indonesia.]] thumb|The Oriental Bluespotted Maskray in Indonesian waters, near the bottom (benthic) layer of the Ocean thumb|The wingspan of a ''Neotrygon orientalis'' being measured to determine population growth rate.<ref name="Sukmawati_2022">{{Cite journal |last1=Sukmawati |first1=Mayang |last2=Setiawan |first2=Fajar |last3=Maisaroh |first3=Dian Sari |date=23 January 2022 |title=Stingray (Neotrygon orientalis) population structure based on catch data in Nusantara Fishery Port (Pelabuhan Perikanan Nusantara/PPN) Brondong, Lamongan |url=https://jurnalsaintek.uinsa.ac.id/index.php/mrcm/article/view/1326 |journal=Journal of Marine Resources and Coastal Management |language=en |volume=3 |issue=1 |pages=8–12 |doi=10.29080/mrcm.v3i01.1326 |issn=2722-0966|doi-access=free }}</ref> thumb|Looking at how the Fisheries and their exploitation of these rays may impact their lives, and how the exploitation rate and mortality are correlated potentially.<ref name="Sukmawati_2022"/> '''''Neotrygon orientalis''''', the '''Oriental bluespotted maskray''', is a type of whiptail stingray found mainly in Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, and Taiwan.<ref name="Last_2016">{{Cite journal |last1=Last |first1=Peter R. |last2=White |first2=William T. |last3=SéRet |first3=Bernard |date=23 February 2016 |title=Taxonomic status of maskrays of the Neotrygon kuhlii species complex (Myliobatoidei: Dasyatidae) with the description of three new species from the Indo-West Pacific |url=https://mapress.com/zt/article/view/zootaxa.4083.4.5 |journal=Zootaxa |volume=4083 |issue=4 |pages=533–561 |doi=10.11646/zootaxa.4083.4.5 |pmid=27394245 |bibcode=2016Zoot.40833.4.5L |issn=1175-5334|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref name="Sherman_2022"/> It has also caused the description of a new diphyllidean species, the Echinobothrium ivanovae species, has been described from N. ''orientalis.''<ref name="Pavan-Kumar_2018">{{Cite journal |last1=Pavan-Kumar |first1=Annam |last2=Kumar |first2=Rajan |last3=Pitale |first3=Pranali |last4=Shen |first4=Kang-Ning |last5=Borsa |first5=Philippe |date=1 February 2018 |title=Neotrygon indica sp. nov., the Indian Ocean blue-spotted maskray (Myliobatoidei, Dasyatidae) |url=https://comptes-rendus.academie-sciences.fr/biologies/articles/10.1016/j.crvi.2018.01.004/ |journal=Comptes Rendus. Biologies |language=en |volume=341 |issue=2 |pages=120–130 |doi=10.1016/j.crvi.2018.01.004 |pmid=29415869 |issn=1631-0691}}</ref>
== Description == This species can be distinguished from its closest congener (''Neotrygon kuhlii'') through several characteristics, such as abruptly angular pectoral apices, dusky ventral tail fold with darker edge, small mouth, pronounced mask-like markings, and covered with moderate-sized blue spots and dark peppery spots.<ref name="Last_2016" /> The maximum size for the male specimens is 38 cm disc width (DW).<ref name="Last_2016" />It is often confused with the newly described ''Neotrygon yakkoei''<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Hata |first1=Eishiro |last2=Motomura |first2=Hiroyuki |date=1 April 2025 |title=Neotrygon yakkoei, a new bluespotted maskray (Dasyatidae) from Japan |journal=Ichthyological Research |language=en |volume=72 |issue=2 |pages=229–239 |doi=10.1007/s10228-024-00989-7 |bibcode=2025IchtR..72..229H |issn=1616-3915}}</ref> and the ''Neotrygon khulli'' complex.<ref name="Last_2016"/> The high morphological similarities among the species make species of the Khulli complex hard to identify.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Panithanarak |first1=Thadsin |last2=Karuwanjaroen |first2=Ratima |last3=Utama |first3=Chanapa |last4=Laongmanee |first4=Penchan |last5=Meejan |first5=Titirat |last6=Senanan |first6=Wansuk |last7=Klangnurak |first7=Wanlada |last8=Khudamrongsawat |first8=Jenjit |last9=Krajangdara |first9=Tassapon |date=1 April 2025 |title=Resolving Species Identification and Distribution Patterns of Neotrygon spp. in Thai Waters: Inefficiency of Morphometric Analysis and the Power of COI Gene Barcoding and Phylogenetics |url=https://li01.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/JFE/article/view/264390 |journal=Journal of Fisheries and Environment |language=en |volume=49 |issue=1 |pages=154–163 |issn=2630-0826}}</ref> Phylogenetically, ''N. orientali''s and ''N. varidens'' form a sister clade to the species ''N. indica,'' which may have a common ancestor in the Plio-Pleistocene.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Pavan-Kumar |first1=Annam |last2=Singh |first2=Shubra |last3=Mishra |first3=Archana |last4=Suman |first4=Sonal |last5=Gireesh-Babu |first5=P. |last6=Chaudhari |first6=A. |last7=Shen |first7=Kang-Ning |last8=Borsa |first8=Philippe |date=31 December 2022 |title=Characterization of mitochondrial genome of Indian Ocean blue-spotted maskray, Neotrygon indica and its phylogenetic relationship within Dasyatidae Family |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0141813022025326 |journal=International Journal of Biological Macromolecules |volume=223 |issue=Pt A |pages=458–467 |doi=10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2022.10.277 |pmid=36347369 |issn=0141-8130|url-access=subscription }}</ref>
== Habitat & distribution == This species distribution range encompasses the regions of Sumatra, Java, Kalimantan, and Sulawesi in Indonesia; Sabah and Sarawak in Malaysia; Singapore; Brunei; Philippines; and Taiwan.<ref name="Last_2016" /><ref name="Sherman_2022" /> These areas include the Western Central and Northwest Pacific.<ref name="Sherman_2022"/> It inhabits the inshore habitats and ranges from the surface to a depth of around 100 m.<ref name="Sherman_2022" /> This species is often caught and retained as delicacy in some regions of its distribution range, namely the Bajau and Laut communities in Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines.<ref name="Sherman_2022" /> Its true distribution is not entirely clear because of its similarities to other species in the Khulli complex.
=== Identification Issues and Solutions === Snout angle, something historically used to distinguish ''N. orientalis'' from ''N. kuhlii'', has now been discontinued due to the subjectivity of the testing.<ref name="Borsa_2018"/> However, the Oriental Bluespotted Maskray has been accurately identified using spot patterns, tail characteristics and sex at three different sites in Malaysian waters by BRUVS (Baited remote underwater video systems). BRUVS provides more accuracy than before for population estimates.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Sherman |first1=C. Samantha |last2=Chin |first2=Andrew |last3=Heupel |first3=Michelle R. |last4=Simpfendorfer |first4=Colin A. |date=1 June 2018 |title=Are we underestimating elasmobranch abundances on baited remote underwater video systems (BRUVS) using traditional metrics? |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022098117304781 |journal=Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology |volume=503 |pages=80–85 |doi=10.1016/j.jembe.2018.03.002 |bibcode=2018JEMBE.503...80S |issn=0022-0981|url-access=subscription }}</ref> It has also been confused with the newly described N. ''indica.''<ref name="Pavan-Kumar_2018"/>
N. orientalis has now been given a distinct BIN number, a DNA barcode that helps with identifying this species where it could not be identified otherwise.<ref name="Borsa_2018">{{Cite journal |last1=Borsa |first1=Philippe |last2=Arlyza |first2=Irma S. |last3=Hoareau |first3=Thierry B. |last4=Shen |first4=Kang-Ning |date=1 May 2018 |title=Diagnostic description and geographic distribution of four new cryptic species of the blue-spotted maskray species complex (Myliobatoidei: Dasyatidae; Neotrygon spp.) based on DNA sequences |journal=Journal of Oceanology and Limnology |language=en |volume=36 |issue=3 |pages=827–841 |bibcode=2018JOL....36..827B |doi=10.1007/s00343-018-7056-2 |issn=2523-3521 |url=https://ird.hal.science/ird-01846446 }}</ref>
== Life History and Growth Patterns ==
=== Sex Ratio and Growth Rates === The average sex ratio for males to females is 1.4: 1. ''N. orientalis'' has a negative allometric growth pattern, where its length increases at a faster pace than its weight growth.
Both male and female ''N. orientalis'' have slow growth rates, with males needing approximately 60 weeks to reach maximum length, and females needing approximately 56 weeks for the same. Their growth rate is impacted by the environment, most strongly temperature and food. However, they are still able to grow even in unfavorable environments.
=== Reproduction and Age === Reproduction is viviparous and size at birth is approximately 12 cm DW.<ref name="Sukmawati_2022"/>
It is unclear the actual maximum age of this species, but based on a similar one, the Coral Sea Maskray (''Neotrygon trinoides''), it is approximately 12 years.<ref name="Sherman_2022"/>
== Conservation Status == The Oriental Bluespotted Maskray has been most recently assessed in 2020, with an amendment in 2022 from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. It still identified as a species of least concern, with the potential to either grow larger in population or smaller due to anthropogenic impacts. The current population trend is noted as stable.<ref name="Sherman_2022"/>
=== Mesopredators and Fishing on the Conservation and Population Control of ''N. Orientalis'' === ''N. orientalis'' is targeted and taken as a bycatch in large numbers. Its main use is meat, which is eaten fresh or salted and dried before being used for consumption. An example of this is Nusantara Fishery Port; one of the largest fisheries in Indonesia. At this fishery, they are often the bycatch of Demersal fish species such as Kurisi.<ref name="Sukmawati_2022"/>They are caught through a handful of methods, including trawl, longline, handline, gill net, trammel and harpoon. However, populations still seem to be stable or rising because of mesopredator release due to declining shark populations. Essentially, because the predator that used to consume them no longer consumes them, ''N. orientalis'' can populate at higher levels than before. Therefore, despite the fact that they are used in many industries, their overall population levels are not decreasing, though this varies in each individual population with where they are located.<ref name="Sherman_2022"/>
=== Growth Overfishing === Species in the ''Neotrygon'' genus as a whole comprise at least 8 percent of all rays in official fishery reports. Based on the amount of illegal fishing that is present, the numbers are predicted to be far higher than that.<ref name="Sherman_2022"/> Furthermore, specific areas of their habitat are threatened by overfishing, where the number of fish dying from natural causes is lower than those dying from fishing, leading to the "Growth Overfishing" phenomenon, where there are very few mature fish because they are fished and caught before they can grow. This indicates the potential risk that growth overfishing may cause in the many areas where the species is present, though this has only been researched at a specific fishery in Indonesia.<ref name="Sukmawati_2022"/>
Other potential things that might affect the population level include extensive habitat degradation (due to its inshore presence) and pollution. Furthermore, large costal areas, like mangroves<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Polidoro |first1=Beth A. |last2=Carpenter |first2=Kent E. |last3=Collins |first3=Lorna |last4=Duke |first4=Norman C. |last5=Ellison |first5=Aaron M. |last6=Ellison |first6=Joanna C. |last7=Farnsworth |first7=Elizabeth J. |last8=Fernando |first8=Edwino S. |last9=Kathiresan |first9=Kandasamy |last10=Koedam |first10=Nico E. |last11=Livingstone |first11=Suzanne R. |last12=Miyagi |first12=Toyohiko |last13=Moore |first13=Gregg E. |last14=Ngoc Nam |first14=Vien |last15=Ong |first15=Jin Eong |date=8 April 2010 |editor-last=Hansen |editor-first=Dennis Marinus |title=The Loss of Species: Mangrove Extinction Risk and Geographic Areas of Global Concern |journal=PLOS ONE |language=en |volume=5 |issue=4 |article-number=e10095 |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0010095 |pmid=20386710 |pmc=2851656 |bibcode=2010PLoSO...510095P |doi-access=free |issn=1932-6203}}</ref> in Indonesia have been lost to land conversion for urban development and other human activities, decreasing ''N. orientalis's'' potential range and habitat areas even more. This is exacerbated by global climate change and coral bleaching continuing to cause more area loss and species extinction.<ref name="Sherman_2022"/>
== References == {{Reflist}}
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Category:Dasyatidae Category:Fish of Indonesia Category:Fish of Malaysia