Ocellate river stingray

Photo: Peter Vodensky

​The ocellate river stingray (Potamotrygon motoro), is also known as the 'peacock-eye stingray' or the 'black river stingray.' It is a beautiful species of freshwater stingray in the Potamotrygonidae family- yup, a whole family of FRESHWATER STINGRAYS! In fact, this was the first species described in that family! It is also the most widespread. You can find it throughout much of the Río de la Plata, Amazon, Mearim and Orinoco basins in South America. You may have seen these animals before in aquariums. 

This particular species can grow up to 50 cm (1.6 ft) in disc width (DW), and 1 metre (3.3 ft) in total length (TL). They can get up to 35 kg (77 lb) in weight, and are round in shape with a brown/black colour with yellow-orange spots and some dark rings. Their colouration varies, but there are about five main types identified in the Amazon, each with a number of subtypes.

There are two main Amazonian types, known as CD1 and CD2, are found everywhere in the Amazon (except the majority of the Rio Negro basin) and are together. There are others known as CD3, CD4 and CD5. We don't know much else of them, and the IUCN has assessed them as Data Deficient (DD).

WHAT DID YOU LEARN ABOUT THIS ANIMAL?

GLOSSARY

• IUCN: International Union for Conservation of Nature.​​

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