‖pylstert, noun
- Forms:
- Also pylstart, pylstort.
- Plurals:
- unchanged, pylsterte/ˈpeɪlsˌtɛrtə/, or pylsterts.
- Origin:
- Afrikaans, South African Dutch, DutchShow more Afrikaans (earlier South African Dutch, from Dutch pijlstaart ray, pyl arrow + stert tail).
a. A species of eagle ray, probably Myliobatis aquila of the Myliobatidae. b. Any of several species of stingray, especially Dasyatis pastinaca of the Dasyatidae.
- Note:
- In Smith and Heemstra’s Smiths’ Sea Fishes (1986), the name ‘eagleray’ is used for M. aquila, and ‘blue stingray’ for D. pastinaca.
1821 C.I. Latrobe Jrnl of Visit 487Mr. Duckett presented me with the tail of a pylstort, (arrow-tail,) a fish caught in Simon’s-bay. The tail itself is slender, and about fourteen inches in length. From the upper part of its insertion into the body, proceed two sharp bones, serrated on both sides...Every tooth of this bony saw acts as a barb, and if once inserted, cannot be extracted without great laceration of the flesh.
1958 L.G. Green S. Afr. Beachcomber 99Sting-rays or stingarees, the dreaded pylstert (arrow tail) of the Cape fishermen, have killed unsuspecting, bare-footed people who have stepped on them in shallow water.
A species of eagle ray, probably Myliobatis aquila of the Myliobatidae.
Any of several species of stingray, especially Dasyatis pastinaca of the Dasyatidae.
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