| Family: |
Dasyatidae (Stingrays), subfamily: Urogymninae |
| Max. size: |
45 cm WD (male/unsexed); 63.4 cm WD (female) |
| Environment: |
demersal; marine; depth range 15 - 29 m |
| Distribution: |
Indian Ocean: Pakistan to India, in the Arabian Sea (Ref. 110187), with a first record of a possible immature individual from Sri Lanka (Ref. 120444). |
| Diagnosis: |
Vertebrae: 102-111. This species (with size at least 63 cm DW) is distinguished by this set of the characters: disc is broadly rhomboidal, its length 89-93% DW; snout is moderately elongate with small apical lobe, snout angle 113-121°; pectoral-fin apices are narrowly rounded; orbits small, protruding slightly; mouth is relatively narrow, its width 1.1-1.6 in internasal width; the distance between first gill slits 2.1-2.3 times internasal distance; distance between fifth gill slits is 1.4-1.5 times internasal distance, 28--30% of ventral head length; pelvic-fin base is narrow, 12-13% DW; a small yellow, seed-shaped suprascapular denticle followed by a slightly larger white, heart-shaped denticle; weak primary denticle band present in young but soon becoming inconspicuous; secondary denticle band is irregularly suboval, relatively narrow with well-defined lateral margins, rounded forward of orbit and not extending lateral to orbit even in large adults; adults with a broad band near tail base; dorsal disc uniformly brownish (lacking white spots); ventral disc pale with broad, weakly-defined and slightly darker margins; anterior tail light-brown on dorsal surface and usually without white lateral spots; tail banded dorsally behind caudal-sting base, bands more obscure or absent with age; pectoral-fin radials 127-135; total vertebral count, including synarcual centra 102-111, monospondylous centra 41-47, pre-sting diplospondylous centra 55-68 (Ref. 110187). |
| Biology: |
Immature male at 36.0 cm WD, while size at birth is probably slightly smaller than 17 cm WD (Ref. 110187). |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Critically Endangered (CR); Date assessed: 08 February 2017 (A2d+3d) Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
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