Coastal stingaree vs Laxmann's Shrew

Urolophus orarius compared with Sorex caecutiens

Key Differences

• Coastal stingaree is Endangered while Laxmann's Shrew is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Coastal stingaree	Laxmann's Shrew
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Elasmobranchii	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Myliobatiformes (Myliobatiformes)	Soricomorpha (Soricomorpha)
Family	Urolophidae	Soricidae
Genus	Urolophus	Sorex
Species	Urolophus orarius	Sorex caecutiens

Evolutionary Relationship

Coastal stingaree and Laxmann's Shrew share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

Conservation Status

Coastal stingaree

EN — Endangered

Laxmann's Shrew

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Coastal stingaree	Laxmann's Shrew
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Coastal stingaree

Laxmann's Shrew

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

Distributed across Norway, Russia, and Sweden.

Coastal stingaree

Coastal stingaree (Urolophus orarius) is a small batoid ray in the family Urolophidae, endemic to shallow coastal waters of southern Australia, particularly along the coasts of South Australia, Victoria, and Tasmania. Like other stingarees, it has a rounded disc, a short tail armed with one or two venomous spines, and lacks a distinct rostrum. It inhabits sandy and muddy nearshore substrates in depths typically less than 30 metres, where it forages for polychaete worms, crustaceans, and small molluscs buried in the seabed. Females are ovoviviparous, giving birth to small litters of live young following internal development. Coastal stingaree is assessed as Endangered by the IUCN, driven by its restricted range, slow reproductive rate, and significant bycatch in inshore commercial and recreational fisheries operating across southern Australian coastal waters. Bottom trawling, prawn trawling, and gillnetting are identified as major threats. The species receives limited targeted conservation attention and is not currently the subject of specific fisheries management measures. Its small home range and coastal distribution make it especially vulnerable to localised fishery impacts.