Taeniurops meyeni (Müller & Henle, 1841)

Blotched Fantail Ray

Taeniura meyeni Müller & Henle, 1841: 172, pl. 55. Syntypes: MNHN 0000-2428, ZMB 4660. Type locality: Mauritius, Mascarenes, southwestern Indian Ocean.

Local synonymy: Taeniura melanospilos— Kailola, 1987: 29 (Bougainville). Taeniura meyeni — Allen et al., 2003: 112 (Milne Bay); Hamilton et al., 2009: 73 (northern Bismarck Archipelago). Taeniurops meyeni— White et al., 2018: 262, figs (PNG).

PNG voucher material: None.

Remarks: First recorded from PNG by Kailola (1987) as Taeniura melanospilos from Bougainville, based on a destroyed specimen, KFRS E.388 (tail only) collected from Bougainville in 1969. Observed underwater, and verified from photographs, recently from Kavieng district of New Ireland.