Short Communication: Iran's elasmobranch diversity gets a new member: First report of Neotrygon indica from the northern Gulf of Oman

The Indian Ocean blue‑spotted maskray, Neotrygon indica, is recorded for the first time from Iranian waters of Gulf of Oman. Four adult male specimens were collected as bycatch from a gillnet fishery operating Abkouhi fish landing, Hormozgan Province waters, in the northern Gulf of Oman, in April ۲۰۲۵. Species identification was confirmed using diagnostic dorsal spot patterns, morphometric measurements, and key meristic characters (e.g., two to three oral papillae, interorbital dark band, and black‑and‑white lateral tail stripe). This finding extends the known distribution of N. indica westward into the northern Indian Ocean, adding a new species to Iran’s elasmobranch checklist. The record underscores the biogeographic connectivity between the Indo‑West Pacific and the Gulf of Oman, provides essential baseline data for regional biodiversity monitoring, and highlights the need for improved bycatch documentation and conservation measures for medium‑sized stingrays in data‑deficient areas.

کلیدواژه ها:

Dasyatidae ، Stingray ، Neotrygon indica ، Bycatch ، Range expansion ، Gulf of Oman