DASYATIDAE Taeniura meyeni (photo by Mark Strickland) Taeniura meyeni (Müller and Henle, 1841) Blotched Fantail Ray Disc subcircular, slightly wider than long; trunk robust; margin of disc uniformly convex. Snout rounded, without pointed tip. Tail slender, short, slightly longer than disc width, with usually a single venomous spine (sting). Ventral dermal fold on tail deep, prominent, extending to tail tip; dorsal fold absent. Mouth moderately broad, 7 short papillae on floor (5 centrally). Short, widely-spaced granulations uniformly present on disc surface, without thorns. Color: Mottled, black and white (sometimes brownish) dorsally; uniformly pale ventrally. Size: maximum length at least 3.3 m, maximum disc width at least 1.8 m. Distribution: widely distributed in Indo-Pacific, from South Africa to Micronesia, north to Japan. Remarks: occurs in coral reefs and on soft bottoms.