Dasyatis is a genus of stingray in the family Dasyatidae that is native to the Atlantic, including the Mediterranean. In a 2016 taxonomic revision, many of the species formerly assigned to Dasyatis were reassigned to other genera.
The scaly whipray or Bengal whipray, is a species of stingray in the family Dasyatidae, found in the tropical Indo-West Pacific oceans from the Red Sea and Mauritius to Indonesia. Its width is up to 22 cm (8.7 in), and it may reach 65 cm in total length.
The red stingray is a species of stingray in the family Dasyatidae, found in the northwestern Pacific Ocean off Japan, Korea, and China, and possibly elsewhere. It primarily inhabits shallow, sandy habitats close to shore, and has been known to enter brackish water. The red stingray has a diamond-shaped pectoral fin disc and gains its common name from its bright orange-red underside; there may also be patches of orange at various spots on its upper surface. Most individuals are no more than 1 m (3.3 ft) long.
The estuary stingray, also called the estuary stingaree or brown stingray, is a species of stingray in the family Dasyatidae. Endemic to eastern Australia, it typically inhabits shallow, mangrove-lined tidal rivers, estuaries, and bays in southern Queensland and New South Wales. This yellow-brown to olive ray grows to at least 93 cm (37 in) across. It has a diamond-shaped pectoral fin disc and a mostly smooth, whip-like tail bearing both dorsal and ventral fin folds. It can additionally be identified by its long, narrow nostrils and the row of thorns along the midline of its back.
The Izu stingray is a little-known species of stingray in the family Dasyatidae, endemic to the Izu Peninsula of Japan. Found in shallow coastal waters, it is a fairly small species with a smooth, golden-brown, diamond-shaped pectoral fin disc and a whip-like tail with a low keel above and fin fold beneath. The fin fold is white, distinguishing the Izu stingray from all other Pacific members of its family.
The Mekong freshwater stingray, Hemitrygon laosensis, is a species of stingray in the family Dasyatidae, restricted to the Mekong and Chao Phraya Rivers in Laos and Thailand; the occurrence in Chao Phraya is considered an introduction. Measuring up to 62 cm (24 in) across, this ray has an oval pectoral fin disc, a tail with both upper and lower fin folds, and a midline row of spine-like dermal denticles. A characteristic feature of this species is its bright orange underside. The Mekong freshwater stingray preys on invertebrates and is aplacental viviparous. It has been assessed as Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), as it is threatened by overfishing and habitat degradation.
The painted maskray or brown-reticulate stingray, is a species of stingray in the family Dasyatidae. It is found in Australia, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. Its natural habitats are shallow seas, subtidal aquatic beds, and coral reefs.
The pincushion ray or thorny freshwater stingray, is a little-known species of stingray in the family Dasyatidae, found in the rivers and lakes of West and Middle Africa. A heavy-bodied ray measuring up to 1.2 m (4 ft) across, this species can be distinguished by its rounded pectoral fin disk, reduced or absent stinging tail spine, and—in adults—numerous stout thorns covering its back and tail. In lieu of a long tail spine as in other stingrays, the pincushion ray employs these thorny denticles in defense. Seldom encountered since it was originally described, this species has been assessed as Critically Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
The Broad stingray, also known as the Brown stingray or Hawaiian stingray, is a species of stingray in the family Dasyatidae. The predominant species of stingray in the inshore waters of the Hawaiian Islands, this benthic fish typically inhabits sandy or muddy flats at depths greater than 15 m (49 ft). Usually growing to 1 m (3 ft) across, the broad stingray has a wide, diamond-shaped pectoral fin disc with a protruding snout tip and a long tail with a ventral fin fold. At night, this species actively forages for bottom-dwelling invertebrates and bony fishes, often near the boundaries of reefs. Reproduction is aplacental viviparous. As substantial threats to its population exist in many areas of its wide distribution, IUCN has listed this species as Vulnerable.
The whiptail stingrays are a family, the Dasyatidae, of rays in the order Myliobatiformes. They are found worldwide in tropical to temperate marine waters, and a number of species have also penetrated into fresh water in Africa, Asia, and Australia. Members of this family have flattened pectoral fin discs that range from oval to diamond-like in shape. Their common name comes from their whip-like tails, which are much longer than the disc and lack dorsal and caudal fins. All whiptail stingrays, except the porcupine ray, have one or more venomous stings near the base of the tail, which is used in defense. In order to sting their victims, they jerk their tails as the stinger falls off and stays in the wound that they have created. The stinger of a whiptail stingray is pointy, sharp with jagged edges. They range in size from 0.18 to 2.0 m or more across in the case of the smalleye stingray and giant freshwater stingray.
The round fantail stingray or round stingray, is a poorly known species of stingray in the family Dasyatidae. It inhabits sandy, muddy, or rocky coastal habitats in the eastern Atlantic Ocean and the southern Mediterranean Sea. This dark-colored ray typically reaches a width of 1 m (3.3 ft), and can be identified by its nearly circular pectoral fin disk, short tail, and mostly bare skin. The round fantail stingray hunts for fishes and crustaceans on the sea floor, and exhibits an aplacental viviparous mode of reproduction. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) does not yet have sufficient information to assess the conservation status of this species.
The Yantai stingray, Hemitrygon laevigata, is a little-known species of stingray in the family Dasyatidae, inhabiting shallow waters in the northwestern Pacific Ocean off the coasts of China and Japan. Measuring no more than 20–30 cm (7.9–11.8 in) across, this species is characterized by its diamond-shaped pectoral fin disc wider than long, completely smooth skin, dorsal coloration of dark irregular spots on a yellowish gray-brown background, and ventral coloration of more spots on a white background with yellowish margins. One of the three most common stingrays sold for food in China, the slow-reproducing Yantai stingray faces possible overfishing and habitat degradation, and its numbers appear to be declining. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has assessed it as vulnerable.
The blackish stingray, Hemitrygon navarrae, is a little-known species of stingray in the family Dasyatidae, found in the northwestern Pacific Ocean off the coasts of mainland China and Taiwan. This species reaches 38 cm (15 in) across and has a chocolate brown, diamond-shaped pectoral fin disc nearly as long as wide. Its whip-like tail bears three large tubercles in front of the stinging spine, as well as both dorsal and ventral fin folds with the ventral fold half as long as the disc. Caught as bycatch in bottom trawls, the blackish stingray is frequently marketed as food in China.
The Chinese stingray, Hemitrygon sinensis, is a little-known species of stingray in the family Dasyatidae, found in the northwestern Pacific Ocean off the coasts of China and Korea. This species is characterized by a band of small dermal denticles running along the upper surface of its diamond-shaped pectoral fin disc, from the snout to the tail spine. It can grow to 40 cm (16 in) across and 82 cm (32 in) long. The Chinese stingray is taken incidentally in bottom trawls and is one of the three most commonly marketed stingrays in China. At present, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has assessed its conservation status as endangered.
The freshwater whipray is a little-known species of stingray in the family Dasyatidae, found in a number of large rivers and associated estuaries in northern Australia. Until recently, this species was regarded as a regional subpopulation of the similar-looking but much larger giant freshwater stingray of Southeast Asia. Typically reaching 1 m (3.3 ft) across, the freshwater whipray has a distinctively shaped, rounded pectoral fin disc, a projecting snout, and a thin tail without fin folds. It is plain brown above and white below with dark marginal bands. It may occasionally travel onto land and can "breathe" out of water for up to 7 minutes. The freshwater whipray is an active hunter of small fishes and shrimps, and does not currently face substantial conservation threats.
The pearl stingray is a little-known species of stingray in the family Dasyatidae, found in shallow coastal waters from Mauritania to Angola, though fossils have been found in Portugal. Growing to 30 cm (12 in) across, this species has a rounded pectoral fin disc with a pointed snout, and a wide band of dermal denticles over the back in adults. It closely resembles and is often confused for the much larger daisy stingray ; both species are characterized by the presence of an enlarged, nacreous denticle in the middle of the back called a "pearl spine". The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) assesses the pearl stingray's conservation status as Near Threatened, but it is likely that most of the historically reported fishery catches of the daisy stingray were in fact of this species.
The Bennett's stingray or frilltailed stingray is a little-known species of stingray in the family Dasyatidae, with a wide but ill-defined distribution in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. This species is characterized by a rhomboid, yellow-brown pectoral fin disc with a fairly long snout, and an extremely long tail with a correspondingly long ventral fin fold. It measures up to 50 cm (20 in) across. It feeds on fish, and is aplacental viviparous. It is likely caught by demersal fisheries.
The dwarf black stingray is a little-known species of stingray in the family Dasyatidae, found off northwestern Australia and perhaps throughout Southeast Asia at depths of 60–185 m (197–607 ft). Growing to a width of 51 cm (20 in), this species is characterized by an angular, diamond-shaped pectoral fin disc with a short row of spear-like thorns along the midline of the back and few dermal denticles elsewhere. Its tail bears a long fin fold along the bottom and a much shorter ridge along the top, both past the stinging spine. Plain brownish in color above, this ray can range from light to very dark. In some parts of its range, this species is occasionally caught incidentally by fisheries and sold for meat.
Hemitrygon is a genus of stingrays in the family Dasyatidae from marine, brackish and freshwater habitats in the central Indo-Pacific and northwest Pacific regions. The genus was formerly regarded as a junior synonym of the genus Dasyatis.
Hemitrygon yemenensis, commonly known as Heins’ stingray, is a species of stingray in the family Dasyatidae.
