Xingu River ray

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Xingu River ray
White-blotched River Stingray Potamotrygon leopoldi 2284px.jpg
Potamotrygon leopoldi.jpg
CITES Appendix II (CITES) [2]
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Chondrichthyes
Subclass: Elasmobranchii
Superorder: Batoidea
Order: Myliobatiformes
Family: Potamotrygonidae
Genus: Potamotrygon
Species:
P. leopoldi
Binomial name
Potamotrygon leopoldi
Castex & Castello, 1970

The Xingu River ray, white-blotched river stingray, or polka-dot stingray (Potamotrygon leopoldi) is a species of freshwater fish in the family Potamotrygonidae. It is endemic to the Xingu River basin in Brazil and as such prefers clear waters with rocky bottoms. [1] It is sometimes kept in aquaria, like its more common relative the Motoro. [1]

Contents

Etymology

The fish is named in honor of King Leopold III (1901–1983) of Belgium, who sponsored many scientific studies at the Institut Royal des Sciences Naturelles de Belgique. [3]

Description

Potamotrygon leopoldi in the wild

Potamotrygon leopoldi reaches up to 40 cm (16 in) in disc width, [4] 75 cm (30 in) in total length and 20 kg (44 lb) in weight. [5] Females grow larger than males. [6] It is closely related to the similar P. henlei from the Tocantins River basin and P. albimaculata from the Tapajós River basin. [7] Compared to P. henlei, P. leopoldi is deeper black above and its underparts are mostly brownish-dusky (large white center to underparts of P. henlei). [7] [8] Compared to P. albimaculata, P. leopoldi has fewer and larger yellowish-white spots above. [7] [8]

The Xingu river ray is a venomous stingray that contains venom localized at its dentine spine in its tail. [9] While the ray's venom composition does not change with maturation, the venom toxicity decreases as rays get older. [9] On the other hand, rays' jaw shape, stiffness, and mineralization are strengthened with age, which allows mature rays the ability to consume hard-shelled invertebrates. [10] These changes in traits with maturation reflect the different pressures rays experience in terms of functions such as feeding and avoiding predation during different maturity stages. [9]

Related Research Articles

Xingu may refer to:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tapajós</span> River in Brazil

The Tapajós is a river in Brazil. It runs through the Amazon Rainforest and is a major tributary of the Amazon River. When combined with the Juruena River, the Tapajós is approximately 2,080 km (1,290 mi) long. It is one of the largest clearwater rivers, accounting for about 6% of the water in the Amazon basin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Parnaíba River</span> River in Maranhão, Brazil

The Parnaíba River is a river in Brazil, which forms the border between the states of Maranhão and Piauí. Its main course is 1,400 km (870 mi) long and the Parnaíba River Basin covers 330,000 km2 (130,000 sq mi). The Parnaíba River rises in the Chapada das Mangabeiras range, and flows northeastward to empty into the Atlantic Ocean, being the longest river entirely located within Brazil's Northeast Region. The middle and upper regions of this river are separated by the Portuguese: Boa Esperança Hydroelectric Power Plant dam, but is otherwise navigable.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Potamotrygonidae</span> Family of cartilaginous fishes

River stingrays or freshwater stingrays are Neotropical freshwater fishes of the family Potamotrygonidae in the order Myliobatiformes, one of the four orders of batoids, cartilaginous fishes related to sharks. They are found in rivers in tropical and subtropical South America. A single marine genus, Styracura, of the tropical West Atlantic and East Pacific are also part of Potamotrygonidae. They are generally brownish, greyish or black, often with a mottled, speckled or spotted pattern, have disc widths ranging from 31 to 200 centimetres (1.0–6.6 ft) and venomous tail stingers. River stingrays feed on a wide range of smaller animals and the females give birth to live young. There are more than 35 species in five genera.

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

The long-tailed river stingray or antenna ray is a species of freshwater stingray in the family Potamotrygonidae. It is found in the Amazon basin in South America, ranging from Ecuador to Belém. It lives in the main channel of the Amazon River and lower parts of its major tributaries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Venomous fish</span> Fish that have the ability to produce toxins

Venomous fish are species of fish which produce strong mixtures of toxins harmful to humans which they deliberately deliver by means of a bite, sting, or stab, resulting in an envenomation. As a contrast, poisonous fish also produce a strong toxin, but they do not bite, sting, or stab to deliver the toxin, instead being poisonous to eat because the human digestive system does not destroy the toxin they contain in their bodies. Venomous fish do not necessarily cause poisoning if they are eaten, as the digestive system often destroys the venom.

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

The ocellate river stingray, also known as the peacock-eye stingray or black river stingray, is a species of freshwater stingray in the family Potamotrygonidae. It was the first species to be described in the family and is also the most widespread, ranging throughout much of the Río de la Plata, Amazon, Mearim and Orinoco basins in tropical and subtropical South America. It is sometimes kept in aquaria.

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

Potamotrygon is a genus of freshwater stingrays in the family Potamotrygonidae native to the rivers of South America, and sometimes seen in the aquarium trade.

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

The bigtooth river stingray or Tocantins River ray is a species of freshwater fish in the family Potamotrygonidae. It is endemic to the lower Tocantins basin and Araguaia basin in Brazil, and prefers muddy bottoms. It is sometimes kept in aquaria. This stingray is generally common and its population increased after the Tucuruí Dam was completed, unlike many other species in its range.

Potamotrygon schuhmacheri, the Parana river stingray, is a species of fish in the family Potamotrygonidae. It is found in the Paraná and Paraguay River basins in Argentina, Paraguay, and possibly Brazil. Its natural habitat is rivers. It is threatened by habitat loss.

The raspy river stingray, mosaic stingray or arraia is a species of freshwater fish in the family Potamotrygonidae. This stingray is endemic to the Amazon basin in Brazil, where known from the Amazon–Pará River, the Madeira River basin, Uatumã River and lower Tocantins River.

Potamotrygonocotyle chisholmae is a species of parasitic monogenean flatworms. The species was first described from gills of Potamotrygon stingray from Brazil.

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

The porcupine river stingray is a species of river stingray in the family Potamotrygonidae, the type of the Potamotrygon genus. It is found in the basins of the Paraná and Paraguay River basins in South America. Most chemical weathering of minerals seems to take place in the upland drainage basins rather than on the floodplains, and most major solutes display conservative mixing in the river-floodplain system. The population in the Rio Negro basin was described as a separated species, P. wallacei, in 2016.

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

The short-tailed river stingray is a species of river stingray native to the Río de la Plata Basin in South America. It is sometimes known as the giant freshwater stingray, but this name is typically used for the southeast Asian Urogymnus polylepis.

Heliotrygon gomesi, or Gomes's round ray, is a species of freshwater stingray native to the western Amazon basin in South America, specifically Brazil. It is the type species of its genus. It spends the day in deep river channels, but moves closer to the shore at night to feed.

<i>Potamotrygon falkneri</i> Species of cartilaginous fish

Potamotrygon falkneri, the largespot river stingray or reticulated freshwater stingray, is a species of freshwater stingray in the family Potamotrygonidae from tropical and subtropical South America. It is sometimes seen in the aquarium trade, but requires a very large tank.

<i>Potamotrygon tigrina</i> Species of cartilaginous fish

Potamotrygon tigrina, also known as the tiger river stingray, is a species of freshwater ray in the family Potamotrygonidae. This endangered species is endemic to black- and whitewater rivers in the upper Amazon basin in northeastern Peru. It is sometimes kept in aquariums and has been bred in captivity, but it is generally a sensitive species.

<i>Potamotrygon magdalenae</i> Species of cartilaginous fish

Potamotrygon magdalenae, the Magdalena River stingray, is a species of freshwater fish in the family Potamotrygonidae. It is found only in the Magdalena and Atrato basins in Colombia, but it is locally abundant and among the predominant fish species in its range. It is a small species of stingray with a typical disc width of about 20 cm (8 in), although it can reach up to 35 cm (14 in).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clearwater river (river type)</span> River classification based on chemistry, sediments and water colour

A clearwater river is classified based on its chemistry, sediments and water colour. Clearwater rivers have a low conductivity, relatively low levels of dissolved solids, typically have a neutral to slightly acidic pH and are very clear with a greenish colour. Clearwater rivers often have fast-flowing sections.

<i>Potamotrygon rex</i> Species of freshwater stingray

Potamotrygon rex, the great river stingray, is a species of freshwater stingray belonging to the family Potamotrygonidae, native to South America in the Neotropical region. P. rex, along with some other Potamotrygon species form a sub-species group known as "black stingrays" known by their similar features and their locality to rivers draining the Central Brazilian Shield. Specifically, it is native to the Rio Tocantins in the central Brazilian state of Tocantins. It is quite a large organism, weighing up to 20 kg. Its appearance is dark brown to blackish with distinct clusters of yellow-orange spots around similarly colored ocelli on its dorsal side. Distinguishing features include broad pelvic-fin apices, lack of labial grooves, irregular double row of dorsal tail thorns, and having two angular cartilages associated with each hyomandibula.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Charvet, P., Torres, Y.T.P., Santana, F.M. & Sayer (2022). "Potamotrygon leopoldi". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2022: e.T39403A2923696. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2022-2.RLTS.T39403A2923696.en . Retrieved 9 December 2022.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. "Appendices | CITES". cites.org. Retrieved 2022-01-14.
  3. Christopher Scharpf & Kenneth J. Lazara (22 September 2018). "Order MYLIOBATIFORMES (Stingrays)". The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database. Christopher Scharpf and Kenneth J. Lazara. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  4. Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2017). "Potamotrygon leopoldi" in FishBase . February 2017 version.
  5. Fishing World-records: Potamotrygon leopoldi. Retrieved 22 February 2017.
  6. "Polka-dot stingray, Potamotrygon leopoldi". Animals. Dallas World Aquarium. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
  7. 1 2 3 Carvalho, Marcelo R. de (2016). "Description of two extraordinary new species of freshwater stingrays of the genus Potamotrygon endemic to the rio Tapajós basin, Brazil (Chondrichthyes: Potamotrygonidae), with notes on other Tapajós stingrays". Zootaxa. 4167 (1): 1–63. doi: 10.11646/zootaxa.4167.1.1 . PMID   27701358.
  8. 1 2 Ramos, H.A.C. (May 2017), Commercial species of freshwater stingrays in Brazil, Department of Sustainable Use of Biodiversity and Forests, Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources and Ministry of the Environment, pp. 1–33
  9. 1 2 3 Kirchhoff, Kim N.; Klingelhöfer, Ines; Dahse, Hans-Martin; Morlock, Gertrud; Wilke, Thomas (December 2014). "Maturity-related changes in venom toxicity of the freshwater stingray Potamotrygon leopoldi". Toxicon. 92: 97–101. doi:10.1016/j.toxicon.2014.10.011. PMID   25449099.
  10. Rutledge, Kelsi M.; Summers, Adam P.; Kolmann, Matthew A. (June 2019). "Killing them softly: Ontogeny of jaw mechanics and stiffness in mollusk‐feeding freshwater stingrays". Journal of Morphology. 280 (6): 796–808. doi:10.1002/jmor.20984. ISSN   0362-2525. PMID   30950541. S2CID   96436321.