Species: 1
order: Myliobatiformes
Family: Dasyatidae (stingrays)
Species: 23
MERAUKE STINGRAY
Hemitrygon longicauda (Last & White, 2013)
IUCN Status


BIOLOGY
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At least 31 cm DW (106 cm TL)
Unknown, no adults recorded to date
~12 cm DW
Unknown
Viviparous, with histotrophy
KEY FEATURES
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Tail extremely long and whip-like, more than 3 times disc width, with a long, low ventral skin fold
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Disc almost circular to weakly rhombic
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Eyes very small and spaced well apart
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A median row of enlarged thorns on midline of disc and tail
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Snout broadly triangular and relatively short
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Tail base slightly depressed and oval in cross-section
AUSTRALIAN WHIPRAY
Himantura australis (Last, White & Naylor, 2016)
IUCN Status

BIOLOGY
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183 cm DW (350 cm TL)
Males at ~112 cm DW
~29–30 cm DW
2–4 pups
Viviparous, with histotrophy
KEY FEATURES
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Tail long, whip-like and variably banded, without skin folds
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Base of tail not depressed, circular in cross-section
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Disc broad and weakly rhombic
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Snout relatively short and broadly triangular
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Denticle band on disc well developed in adults
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Strong colour pattern of dark reticulations or small spots
LEOPARD WHIPRAY
Himantura leoparda (Manjaji-Matsumoto & Last, 2008)
IUCN Status

BIOLOGY
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At least 140 cm DW (410 cm TL)
Males at 70–85 cm DW
~20 cm DW
Unknown
Viviparous, with histotrophy
KEY FEATURES
-
Tail long, whip-like and variably banded, without skin folds
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Base of tail not depressed, circular in cross-section
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Disc broad and weakly rhombic
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Snout relatively short and broadly triangular, with pointed tip
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Denticle band on disc well developed in adults
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Strong colour pattern of leopard-like ocelli in adults (large blackish spots in juveniles)
BLACKSPOTTED WHIPRAY
Maculabatis astra (Last, Manjaji-Matsumoto & Pogonoski, 2008)
IUCN Status

BIOLOGY
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92 cm DW (180 cm TL)
Females at ~67 cm DW
Males at ~44 cm DW
15–21 cm DW
1–3 pups
Viviparous, with histotrophy
KEY FEATURES
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Tail long, whip-like and banded, without skin folds
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Base of tail not depressed, circular in cross-section
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Disc broad and rhombic
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Snout relatively short and triangular
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Denticle band on disc well developed in adults
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Greyish brown with variable number of small black spots
BROWN WHIPRAY
Maculabatis toshi (Whitley, 1939)
IUCN Status

BIOLOGY
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~82 cm DW (~170 cm TL)
Males at ~50 cm DW
~14 cm DW
Unknown
Viviparous, with histotrophy
KEY FEATURES
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Tail long, whip-like and banded, without skin folds
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Base of tail not depressed, circular in cross-section
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Disc broad and rhombic
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Snout relatively short and broadly triangular
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Denticle band on disc well developed in adults
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Upper disc uniformly brown; adults sometimes with faint whitish spots and flecks
SMALLEYE STINGRAY
Megatrygon microps (Annandale, 1908)
IUCN Status

BIOLOGY
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At least 222 cm DW (more than 300 cm TL)
Unknown
~33 cm DW
Single pup
Viviparous, with histotrophy
KEY FEATURES
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Disc very broad, its width >1.2 times disc length
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Well-developed skin fold on ventral surface of tail
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Tail base depressed and very broad, oval in cross-section
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Tail tapering rapidly near sting and without bands
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Eyes very small, 3 times smaller than spiracle
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Covered in numerous minute denticles
PLAIN MASKRAY
Neotrygon annotata (Last, 1987)
IUCN Status

BIOLOGY
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30 cm DW (at least 45 cm TL)
Females at 26 cm DW
Males at 22 cm DW
12–14 cm DW
1–3 pups
Viviparous, with histotrophy
KEY FEATURES
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Snout pointed, with black, mask-like bar through eyes
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Tail not whip-like, with broad black and white bands
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Tail base broad and depressed (oval in cross-section)
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Skin folds present on dorsal and ventral surfaces of tail
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Short thorns on midline of disc and tail
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Upper disc plain, without spots or ocelli
AUSTRALIAN BLUESPOTTED MASKRAY
Neotrygon australiae (Last, White & Séret, 2016)
IUCN Status

BIOLOGY
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47 cm DW (at least 61 cm TL)
Males at 28–34 cm DW
~14 cm DW
Unknown; probably 1 or 2 pups
Viviparous, with histotrophy
KEY FEATURES
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Snout broadly rounded, with a faint dark, mask-like bar through eyes
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Tail not whip-like, with broad black and white bands
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Tail base broad, depressed (oval in cross-section)
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Skin folds present on dorsal and ventral surfaces of tail
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Short thorns on midline of disc and tail
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Upper disc with many large blue ocellate spots
SPECKLED MASKRAY
Neotrygon picta (Last & White, 2008)
IUCN Status

BIOLOGY
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32 cm DW (at least 60 cm TL)
Both sexes at ~17–18 cm DW
~10 cm DW
1–3 pups
Viviparous, with histotrophy
KEY FEATURES
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Snout broadly triangular, with a dark, mask-like bar through eyes
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Tail not whip-like, variably banded black and white near tip
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Tail base broad and depressed (oval in cross-section)
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Skin folds present on dorsal and ventral surfaces of tail
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Disc mostly smooth, with thorns only in a row on mid-disc and
no thorns or denticles on tail -
Upper disc with coarse pattern of dark reticulations and speckles
PAPUAN MASKRAY
Neotrygon cf. trigonoides
IUCN Status

BIOLOGY
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At least 28 cm DW
Males at 26–28 cm DW
Unknown
Unknown; probably less than 3 pups
Viviparous, with histotrophy
KEY FEATURES
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Snout broadly triangular, with a dark, mask-like bar through eyes
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Tail not whip-like, with broad black and white bands
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Tail base broad and depressed (oval in cross-section)
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Skin folds present on dorsal and ventral surfaces of tail
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Short thorns on midline of disc and tail
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Upper disc with few smallish blue ocellate spots
WEST PAPUAN MASKRAY
Neotrygon cf. westpapuensis
IUCN Status

BIOLOGY
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At least 37 cm DW
A 37 cm DW male was mature
Unknown
Unknown
Viviparous, with histotrophy
KEY FEATURES
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Snout broadly rounded, with a dark, mask-like bar through eyes
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Tail not whip-like, with broad black and white bands
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Tail base broad and depressed (oval in cross-section)
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Skin folds present on dorsal and ventral surfaces of tail
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Short thorns on midline of disc and tail
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Upper disc with moderately large blue ocellate spots, but spots absent from central band (area from spiracles through to pectoral-fin insertions)
BROAD COWTAIL RAY
Pastinachus ater (Macleay, 1883)
IUCN Status

BIOLOGY
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~200 cm DW (more than 300 cm TL)
Males at 96–98 cm TL
18–28 cm DW
2 pups
Viviparous, with histotrophy
KEY FEATURES
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Disc profile quadrangular, with a short, rounded snout
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Ventral skin fold terminating well before tail tip, blackish and very deep (maximum depth >3.5 times height of tail above)
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Tail relatively broad based
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Sting situated well back on tail
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No thorn row along middle of tail
PINK WHIPRAY
Pateobatis fai (Jordan & Seale, 1906)
IUCN Status

BIOLOGY
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At least 170 cm DW (more than 308 cm TL)
Males at ~112 cm DW
~30 cm DW
Unknown
Viviparous, with histotrophy
KEY FEATURES
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Disc profile quadrangular, with a short, broad snout
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No skin folds on tail
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No obvious band of denticles on central disc
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Tail long, whip-like and uniformly dark beyond sting (not banded)
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Midline of tail before sting without enlarged thorny denticles
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Dorsal surface uniformly yellowish or pinkish grey
HORTLE’S WHIPRAY
Pateobatis hortlei (Last, Manjaji-Matsumoto & Kailola, 2006)
IUCN Status

BIOLOGY
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47 cm DW (at least 61 cm TL)
Males at 28–34 cm DW
~14 cm DW
Unknown; probably 1 or 2 pups
Viviparous, with histotrophy
KEY FEATURES
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Snout broadly rounded, with a faint dark, mask-like bar through eyes
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Tail not whip-like, with broad black and white bands
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Tail base broad, depressed (oval in cross-section)
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Skin folds present on dorsal and ventral surfaces of tail
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Short thorns on midline of disc and tail
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Upper disc with many large blue ocellate spots
JENKINS’ WHIPRAY
Pateobatis jenkinsii (Annandale, 1909)
IUCN Status

BIOLOGY
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~150 cm DW (more than 300 cm TL)
Males at ~70 cm DW
~23 cm DW
Unknown
Viviparous, with histotrophy
KEY FEATURES
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Disc profile quadrangular, with a short, broad snout
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No skin folds on tail
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Band of denticles on central disc
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Tail moderately long, whip-like and uniformly dark (not banded)
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Midline of central disc and tail with a row of upright thorns
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Dorsal surface uniformly yellowish brown
PELAGIC STINGRAY
Pteroplatytrygon violacea (Bonaparte, 1832)
IUCN Status

BIOLOGY
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~80 cm DW (usually less than 60 cm DW)
Females at 39–50 cm DW
Males at 35–38 cm DW
~14–20 cm DW
2–9 pups
Viviparous, with histotrophy
KEY FEATURES
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Anterior profile of disc strongly convex and obtuse
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Outer edge of disc angular
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Row of small thorns along midline of disc
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Tail whip-like and broad-based (oval in cross-section)
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Ventral skin fold on tail very low, terminating well before tail tip
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Dorsal and ventral surfaces dark brownish to black (often with
a purplish tinge)
OCEANIA FANTAIL RAY
Taeniura lessoni (Last, White & Naylor, 2016)
IUCN Status

BIOLOGY
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At least 22 cm DW (~56 cm TL)
Males at ~21 cm DW (immature at 18.5 cm DW)
Unknown
Unknown
Viviparous, with histotrophy
KEY FEATURES
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Profile of disc oval
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Dorsal surface almost smooth to granular (denticles very small)
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Ventral skin fold on tail relatively deep, extending to tail tip
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1 or 2 stings present, located beyond midlength of tail
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Tail short, without blue stripes
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Posterior tail and skin fold pale
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Upper surface with numerous bright blue spots
BLUESPOTTED FANTAIL RAY
Taeniura lymma (Forsskål, 1775)
IUCN Status

BIOLOGY
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~35 cm DW (~75 cm TL)
Males at ~20 cm DW
13–14 cm DW
Unknown
Viviparous, with histotrophy
KEY FEATURES
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Profile of disc oval
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Dorsal surface almost smooth to granular (denticles very small)
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Ventral skin fold on tail relatively deep, extending to tail tip
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Stings present (usually 2), located beyond midlength of tail
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Tail short, with blue stripe on each side before sting
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Posterior tail and skin fold bluish
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Upper surface with numerous bright blue spots
BLOTCHED FANTAIL RAY
Taeniurops meyeni (Müller & Henle, 1841)
IUCN Status

BIOLOGY
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~180 cm DW (~330 cm TL)
Males at 100–110 cm DW
30–35 cm DW
Up to 7 pups
Viviparous, with histotrophy
KEY FEATURES
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Profile of disc circular
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Dorsal surface almost smooth (denticles very small)
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Ventral skin fold on tail deep, extending to tail tip
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Large sting present (usually 1)
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Tail uniformly black posterior to sting
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Upper surface grey with dark blotches and mottling (often faint)
MUMBURARR WHIPRAY
Urogymnus acanthobothrium (Last, White & Kyne, 2016)
IUCN Status

BIOLOGY
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At least 161 cm DW
Males at ~110 cm DW
Largest embryo ~28 cm DW
Unknown
Viviparous, with histotrophy
KEY FEATURES
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Profile of disc oval
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Very small eyes in front of large spiracles
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Denticle band well developed
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No enlarged thorns on body
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Tail long, whip-like and narrow-based
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Upper disc brownish to yellowish grey, often with fine greyish
speckles
PORCUPINE WHIPRAY
Urogymnus asperrimus (Bloch & Schneider, 1801)
IUCN Status

BIOLOGY
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147 cm DW
Females at ~100 cm DW
Males at ~90 cm DW
Unknown
Unknown
Viviparous, with histotrophy
KEY FEATURES
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Profile of disc almost circular, very thick
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Dorsal surface very rough, covered with long, sharp thorns
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Base of tail narrow and rounded in cross-section
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Tail short, without skin folds or stinging spines
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Posterior half of tail blackish
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Upper surface uniformly brownish, yellowish or greyish
FRESHWATER WHIPRAY
Urogymnus dalyensis (Last & Manjaji-Matsumoto, 2008)
IUCN Status

BIOLOGY
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At least 124 cm DW (more than 270 cm TL)
Males at ~90 cm DW
Unknown
Unknown
Viviparous, with histotrophy
KEY FEATURES
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Disc profile almost circular with long, sharply pointed tip
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No skin folds on tail
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Tail long, whip-like, narrow-based and blackish (not banded)
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Central disc with 2–4 heart-shaped thorns
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Midline of tail before sting lacking enlarged thorns
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White below, with very broad dark margin
MANGROVE WHIPRAY
Urogymnus granulatus (Macleay, 1883)
IUCN Status

BIOLOGY
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At least 141 cm DW (more than 350 cm TL)
Males at 55–65 cm DW
~14 cm DW
Unknown
Viviparous, with histotrophy
KEY FEATURES
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Disc almost circular in profile
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Snout broadly triangular and short
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No skin folds on tail
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Tail moderately long, whip-like and whitish behind sting
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Sting situated anteriorly on tail
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Upper surface greyish with small white flecks (often with a layer of dark mucus when alive)
