Taa (samaki)

Taa
Karwe (Manta birostris)
Uainishaji wa kisayansi
Himaya: Animalia (Wanyama) Faila: Chordata (Wanyama wenye ugwe wa neva mgongoni) Nusufaila: Vertebrata (Wanyama wenye uti wa mgongo) Ngeli: Chondrichthyes (Samaki wenye gegedu) Nusungeli: Elasmobranchii (Papa na taa) Oda ya juu: Batoidea (Taa)
Ngazi za chini
Oda 4 Myliobatiformes (Shepwa) Pristiformes (Papa upanga) Rajiformes (Taa) Torpediniformes (Taa raui)

Taa ni aina za samaki zilizo na mnasaba na papa. Papa upanga na papa charawanza ni aina za taa pia. Majina mengine ya samaki hawa ni shepwa, karwe , (ki)pungu na nyenga. Kama papa, taa wana kiunzi cha gegedu. Mwili wao ni bapa, isipokuwa ule wa papa upanga na papa charawanza, na mapefu yamekuwa mapana na kama mabawa. Hawana pezi la mkundu. Mdomo upo upande wa chini wa kichwa na hata matamvua yapo chini ya mwili kando ya mapefu. Takriban spishi zote zina jozi 5 za matamvua, lakini spishi kadhaa zinazo 6. Macho ya taa yapo juu ya kichwa na nyuma ya kila jicho kuna spirakuli moja. Taa wengi huvuta maji kupitia spirakuli na huyapitisha kwa matamvua ambayo hufyonza oksijeni kutoka maji haya. Mkia wa taa ni mrefu na mwembamba na hubeba msumari katika spishi nyingi.

Ingawa papa upanga ni aina za taa, wanafanana zaidi na papa wa kawaida, isipokuwa mwili wao ni bapa zaidi. Pua ni ndefu sana na inabeba meno kwa pande mbili zote. Pua hii hutumika kwa kukamata na kukata mawindo.

Papa charawanza, papa kiharere na papa wame ni aina za taa pia lakini wana mkia kama papa wa kawaida. Kichwa pamoja na mapefu ina umbo wa pembetatu au gitaa (kwa hivyo jina la Kiingereza: Guitarfish).

Spishi za Afrika ya Mashariki

• Aetobatus narinari, Shepwa Chenga (Spotted eagle ray)
• Aetomylaeus bovinus, Shepwa Fahali (Bull ray)
• Cruriraja andamanica, Taa wa Andamani (Andaman leg skate)
• Dipturus springeri, Taa Tumbo-”rough” (Roughbelly skate)
• Gymnura poecilura, Shepwa Ngozi (Long-tailed butterfly ray)
• Himantura gerrardi, Shepwa Yedatuvi (Sharpnose stingray)
• Himantura jenkinsii, Shepwa Tuvi wa Jenkins (Jenkins's whipray)
• Himantura uarnak, Shepwa Tuvi (Honeycomb stingray)
• Manta birostris, Karwe au Taa Pinjo (Giant manta ray)
• Mobula eregoodootenkee, Shepwa Pembe-ndefu (Long-horned mobula)
• Mobula kuhlii, Shepwa Mapezi-mafupi (Shortfin devil ray)
• Neotrygon kuhlii, Shepwa Yeda (Blue-spotted stingray)
• Okamejei heemstrai, Taa Mashariki (East African skate)
• Pastinachus sephen, Shepwa Shepwekuti (Cowtail stingray)
• Pristis microdon, Papa Upanga Meno-makubwa (Largetooth sawfish)
• Pristis pectinata, Papa Upanga Meno-madogo (Smalltooth sawfish)
• Pristis zijsron, Papa Upanga Mkubwa (Longcomb sawfish)
• Raja miraletus, Taa Kahawia (Brown ray)
• Rhina ancylostoma, Papa Kiharere (Bowmouth guitarfish)
• Rhinobatos holcorhynchus, Papa Wame Mwembamba (Slender guitarfish)
• Rhinobatos zanzibarensis, Papa Wame wa Zanzibari (Zanzibar guitarfish)
• Rhinoptera javanica, Shepwa Kedu (Flapnose Ray)
• Rhynchobatus djiddensis, Papa Charawanza (Giant guitarfish)
• Taeniura lymma, Shepwa Nundwi (Blue-spotted ribbontail ray)
• Taeniura meyeni, Shepwa Kuti (Round ribbontail ray)
• Torpedo fuscomaculata, Taa Raui Madoa-meusi (Black-spotted torpedo)
• Torpedo sinuspersici, Taa Raui wa Ghuba ya Ajemi (Gulf torpedo)
• Urogymnus asperrimus, Shepwa Nungu (Porcupine ray)

Picha

• 
  Shepwa chenga
• 
  Shepwa fahali
• 
  Shepwa ngozi
• 
  Shepwa yedatuvi
• 
  Shepwa tuvi wa Jenkins
• 
  Shepwa tuvi
• 
  Shepwa pembe-ndefu
• 
  Shepwa mapezi-mafupi
• 
  Shepwa yeda
• 
  Shepwa shepwekuti
• 
  Papa upanga meno-makubwa
• 
  Papa upanga meno-madogo
• 
  Papa upanga mkubwa
• 
  Taa kahawia
• 
  Papa kiharere
• 
  Shepwa kedu
• 
  Papa charawanza
• 
  Shepwa nundwi
• 
  Shepwa kuti
• 
  Taa raui madoa-meusi
• 
  Taa raui wa Ghuba ya Ajemi
• 
  Shepwa nungu

Marejeo

• Rashid Anam & Edoardo Mostarda (2012) Field identification guide for the living marine resources of Kenya. FAO, Rome.
• Gabriella Bianchi (1985) Field guide to the commercial marine brackish-water species of Tanzania. FAO, Rome.