Short-tailed river stingray

1/19/2020

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We’re saying hello to another freshwater stingray! Did you know that freshwater environments have an amazing amount of biodiversity yet they are among one of the most threatened ecosystems on earth? Yup, it’s true! And that is where this ray calls home.

Introducing the short-tailed river stingray (Potamotrygon brachyura), endemic to the Rio de la Plata basin in South America. It is said to be one of the largest obligate freshwater fish in the region, weighing up to 459 lbs (208 kg), rivalled only by the teleostean pirarucus (Arapaima spp.), and the piraiba giant catfish (Brachyplatystoma filamentosum). #Finfact: It is the largest obligate freshwater elasmobranch in the world! It used to be the giant freshwater whipray (Himantura polylepis) but this species is now known to occur in marine and fresh waters, clearing the path for the short-tailed river stingray to win this title.

Because of its large size, P. brachyura is hunted by fishermen who like a fight, and captures are usually reported by a slew of media like local and national newspapers, fishing magazines and newscasts. But although it is a popular target, little is known about their ecology and conservation status. At the time of this post, we could not find an IUCN status assessment for this animal.

WHAT DID YOU LEARN ABOUT THIS ANIMAL?

GLOSSARY

IUCN: International Union for Conservation of Nature.