une raie porc-épic / a porcupine ray
La raie porc-épic ou pastenague sans dard (Urogymnus asperrimus) est une espèce de raie assez rare, dont le corps seul peut atteindre plus de 1,50 m de diamètre. Elle vit dans l’Indo-Pacifique et est classée VULNERABLE par l’UICN. Sa peau imite la couleur du sable qu’elle fouille à la recherche de sa nourriture.
The porcupine ray (Urogymnus asperrimus) is a rare species of stingray. This bottom-dweller is found throughout the tropical Indo-Pacific, as well as off West Africa. It favors sand, coral rubble, and seagrass habitats in inshore waters to a depth of 30 m (100 ft). A large and heavy-bodied species reaching 1.2–1.5 m (3.9–4.9 ft) in width, the porcupine ray has a nearly circular, plain-colored pectoral fin disc and a thin tail without any fin folds.
The porcupine ray has long been valued for its rough and durable skin, which was made into a shagreen leather once used for various utilitarian and ornamental purposes, such as to cover sword hilts and shields. It is caught incidentally by coastal fisheries. Because it must be handled carefully due to its thorns, its commercial significance is limited. Unregulated fishing has led to this species declining in many parts of its range, and thus has been listes as Vulnérable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). (source : Wikipedia).
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