Whiptail stingray

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Whiptail stingrays
Temporal range: Hauterivian–Recent [1]
Dasyatis americana bonaire.jpg
Southern stingray (Dasyatis americana)
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Chondrichthyes
Subclass: Elasmobranchii
Superorder: Batoidea
Order: Myliobatiformes
Suborder: Myliobatoidei
Superfamily: Dasyatoidea
Family: Dasyatidae
D. S. Jordan, 1888

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 (Urogymnus asperrimus), 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 (0.59 to 6.56 ft) or more across in the case of the smalleye stingray and giant freshwater stingray.

Contents

Genera

The taxonomy of Dasyatidae was revised by Peter Last, Gavin Naylor, and Mabel Manjaji-Matsumoto in 2016, based on morphological and molecular phylogenetic data. The placement of Megatrygon within the family is provisional pending further research, as evidence suggests it may be more closely related to the families Potamotrygonidae and Urotrygonidae than to other dasyatids. [2]

Phylogeny

Dasyatidae
Pastinachinae

Pastinachus

Urogymninae

Fontitrygon

Urogymnus

Brevitrygon

Fluvitrygon

Pateobatis

Maculabatis

Himantura

Neotrygoninae

Neotrygon

Taeniura

Dasyatinae

Hypanus

Dasyatis

Taeniurops

Bathytoshia

Pteroplatytrygon

Hemitrygon

Telatrygon

Phylogenetic relationships of dasyatid genera, based on mitochondrial DNA (Makararaja not included; Megatrygon does not cluster within the family). [2]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Myliobatiformes</span> Order of cartilaginous fishes

Myliobatiformes is one of the four orders of batoids, cartilaginous fishes related to sharks. They were formerly included in the order Rajiformes, but more recent phylogenetic studies have shown the myliobatiforms to be a monophyletic group, and its more derived members evolved their highly flattened shapes independently of the skates.

<i>Dasyatis</i> Genus of cartilaginous fishes

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.

<i>Himantura</i> Genus of cartilaginous fishes

Himantura is a genus of stingray in the family Dasyatidae that is native to the Indo-Pacific. In a 2016 taxonomic revision, many of the species formerly assigned to Himantura were reassigned to other genera.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chupare stingray</span> Species of cartilaginous fish

The chupare stingray or Caribbean whiptail stingray is a species of stingray in the family Potamotrygonidae, found in the western Atlantic Ocean from the Gulf of Campeche to Brazil, including the Antilles. The presence of this species in the Gulf of Mexico has not been confirmed. It also occurs in the Bahamas. It usually inhabits sandy substrates, sometimes near coral reefs, and is an infrequent visitor to the Amazon River estuary. Leonard Compagno doubted the taxonomic validity of this species in his 1999 Checklist of Living Elasmobranchs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Porcupine ray</span> Species of cartilaginous fish

The porcupine ray is a rare species of stingray in the family Dasyatidae. This bottom-dweller is found throughout the tropical Indo-Pacific, as well as off West Africa. It favors sand, coral rubble, and seagrass habitats in inshore waters to a depth of 30 m (100 ft). A large and heavy-bodied species reaching 1.2–1.5 m (3.9–4.9 ft) in width, the porcupine ray has a nearly circular, plain-colored pectoral fin disc and a thin tail without any fin folds. Uniquely within its family, it lacks a venomous stinging spine. However, an adult ray can still defend itself ably with the many large, sharp thorns found over its disc and tail.

<i>Urogymnus</i> Genus of cartilaginous fishes

Urogymnus is a genus of stingrays in the family Dasyatidae from marine, brackish and freshwater habitats in the Indo-Pacific and tropical East Atlantic regions. The genus was previously considered to be monotypic, containing only the porcupine ray. Molecular phylogenetic research published in 2016 reassigned several species from Himantura to Urogymnus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pacific chupare</span> Species of cartilaginous fish

The Pacific chupare or Pacific whiptail stingray is a species of stingray in the family Potamotrygonidae. It has been reported off the Pacific coast of Central America from Oaxaca, Mexico to Costa Rica, and also around the Galapagos Islands. It is usually found in shallow water on soft silty or muddy flats; it is unknown whether this species is tolerant of low salinity like the related chupare stingray. Leonard Compagno doubted the taxonomic validity of this species in his 1999 Checklist of Living Elasmobranchs.

<i>Taeniura</i> Genus of cartilaginous fishes

Taeniura is a genus of stingrays in the family Dasyatidae. The species Taeniurops grabata and T. meyeni were formerly placed in this genus. However, phylogenetic research has shown that these two species are not closely related to T. lymma, and they have been assigned to a separate genus, Taeniurops.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pitted stingray</span> Species of cartilaginous fish

The pitted stingray is a species of stingray in the family Dasyatidae, endemic to the waters around Japan and the Sea of Japan. It typically found near the coast at depths of 40–60 m (130–200 ft), but may also venture into the open sea. Measuring up to 2 m (6.6 ft) across, the pitted stingray has a diamond-shaped pectoral fin disc with a characteristic W-shaped groove on the underside. The total length including the tail has a record of 2.8 m (9.2 ft). Other identifying characteristics of this species include its dark gray dorsal coloration with small white spots, and the presence of dorsal tubercles in adults. Pitted stingrays are caught as bycatch in coastal fisheries and brought to market. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) does not yet have sufficient data to assess this species beyond Data Deficient. This species is now regarded as a population of the Short-tail stingray.

<i>Taeniurops</i> Genus of cartilaginous fishes

Taeniurops is a genus of stingrays in the family Dasyatidae. Its two species were formerly contained within the genus Taeniura.

<i>Bathytoshia</i> Genus of cartilaginous fishes


Bathytoshia is a genus of stingrays in the family Dasyatidae found worldwide in tropical and warm temperate oceans. It was formerly regarded as a junior synonym of the genus Dasyatis.

<i>Hemitrygon</i> Genus of cartilaginous fishes

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.

<i>Hypanus</i> Genus of cartilaginous fishes

Hypanus is a genus of stingrays in the family Dasyatidae from warmer parts of the East Pacific and Atlantic, including the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico. The genus was previous regarded as a junior synonym of the genus Dasyatis.

<i>Telatrygon</i> Genus of cartilaginous fishes

Telatrygon is a genus of stingrays in the family Dasyatidae from the central Indo-Pacific. Its species were formerly contained within the genus Dasyatis.

<i>Brevitrygon</i> Genus of cartilaginous fishes

Brevitrygon is a genus of stingrays in the family Dasyatidae from the Indo-Pacific. Its species were formerly contained within the genus Himantura.

<i>Fluvitrygon</i> Genus of cartilaginous fishes

Fluvitrygon is a genus of stingrays in the family Dasyatidae from freshwater in southeast Asia. Its species were formerly contained within the genus Himantura.

<i>Fontitrygon</i> Genus of cartilaginous fishes

Fontitrygon is a genus of stingrays in the family Dasyatidae found in coastal tropical Atlantic waters and rivers that drain into the Atlantic. Fontitrygon species were formerly contained within the genus Dasyatis.

<i>Maculabatis</i> Genus of cartilaginous fishes

Maculabatis is a genus of stingrays in the family Dasyatidae from the Indo-Pacific. Its species were formerly contained within the genus Himantura.

<i>Pateobatis</i> Genus of fishes

Pateobatis is a genus of stingrays in the family Dasyatidae from the Indo-Pacific. Its species were formerly contained within the genus Himantura.

<i>Styracura</i> Genus of cartilaginous fishes

Styracura is a genus of stingray in the family Potamotrygonidae and the only genus in the subfamily Styracurinae. The two species in this genus were formerly included in Himantura, but were moved to Styracura in 2016 based on morphology and molecular evidence. Unlike other members of the family Potamotrygonidae, also known as freshwater stingrays, Styracura are found in the tropical West Atlantic and East Pacific.

References

  1. Puckridge M, Last PR, White WT, Andreakis N (2012). "Phylogeography of the Indo-West Pacific maskrays (Dasyatidae, Neotrygon): a complex example of chondrichthyan radiation in the Cenozoic". Ecology and Evolution. 3 (2): 217–232. doi:10.1002/ece3.448. PMC   3586632 . PMID   23467194.
  2. 1 2 Last, P.R.; Naylor, G.J. & Manjaji-Matsumoto, B.M. (2016). "A revised classification of the family Dasyatidae (Chondrichthyes: Myliobatiformes) based on new morphological and molecular insights". Zootaxa. 4139 (3): 345–368. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4139.3.2. PMID   27470808.