Atlantic stingray

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Atlantic stingray

Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Chondrichthyes
Subclass: Elasmobranchii
Superorder: Batoidea
Order: Myliobatiformes
Family: Dasyatidae
Genus: Hypanus
Species:
H. sabinus
Binomial name
Hypanus sabinus
(Lesueur, 1824)
Range of the Atlantic stingray
Synonyms[2]
  • Amphotistius sabinus (Lesueur, 1824)
  • Dasyatis sabina (Lesueur, 1824)
  • Trygon sabina Lesueur, 1824

The Atlantic stingray (Hypanus sabinus) is a

commercial importance,[4] other than for sale in the aquarium
industry.

Taxonomy and phylogeny

The Atlantic stingray was described by French

Academy's 1817 expedition to Florida.[5] Since then, various authors have included this species in the obsolete genera Pastinaca, Dasybatus (or the variants Dasibatis and Dasybatis), and Amphotistius, all of which were eventually synonymized with the genus Dasyatis.[6]

A 2001 phylogenetic analysis by Lisa Rosenberger, based on

basal members of its genus. It is the outgroup to a large clade that contains, amongst others, the southern stingray (H. americana), the roughtail stingray (Bathytoshia centroura), the longnose stingray (H. guttata), and the pearl stingray (Fontitrygon margaritella).[7]

Distribution and habitat

The Atlantic stingray is found over fine substrates.

The Atlantic Stingray is found in the western

elasmobranch population in North America.[3][9][10]

This species inhabits shallow coastal waters over sandy or silty bottoms, estuaries, and lakes. They prefer water temperatures over 15 °C (59 °F) and can tolerate temperatures over 30 °C (86 °F). These stingrays conduct seasonal migrations to stay in warmer water: they are only present in the northerly Chesapeake bay in the summer and fall, and elsewhere they migrate to deeper water in the winter. When inshore, they usually stay at depths of 2–6 m (6.6–19.7 ft), and after migrating offshore they may be found as deep as 25 m (82 ft).[3]

Description

One of the smallest stingray species, the Atlantic stingray attains a maximum length of 61 cm (24 in) and a weight of 4.9 kg (11 lb).

teeth are rounded, with a flat, blunt surface. During the reproductive season, the teeth of mature males change to feature long, sharp cusps that curve towards the corners of the mouth, for gripping onto females during mating. The tail is long and whip-like, with a serrated spine measuring a quarter of the width of the disk. The spine is replaced annually between June and October. Dorsal and ventral fin folds are present on the tail.[3][8]

Larger Atlantic stingrays develop tubercles or thorns along the midline of the back to the origin of the tail spine. Some larger females also develop tubercles around the

eyes and spiracles. The coloration is brown or yellowish brown above, becoming lighter towards the margin of the disk and sometimes with a dark stripe along the midline, and white or light gray below. The tail fin folds are yellowish. In larger individuals the tail may be flecked with gray near the base and completely dark towards the tip.[3][8]

Biology and ecology

A fetal Atlantic stingray

The Atlantic stingray feeds mostly on

fish louse that feeds on skin mucus.[3]

Despite having a regular freshwater presence, the Atlantic stingray is physiologically

river stingrays of the family Potamotrygonidae. This may be due to the relatively recent date of freshwater colonization (under one million years), and/or possibly incomplete genetic isolation of the freshwater populations, as they remain capable of surviving in salt water. Freshwater Atlantic stingrays have only 30–50% the concentration of urea and other osmolytes in their blood compared to marine populations. However, the osmotic pressure between their internal fluids and external environment still causes water to diffuse into their bodies, and they must produce large quantities of dilute urine (at 10 times the rate of marine individuals) to compensate.[9]

Like other stingrays, the Atlantic stingray is

gestation period of 4–4.5 months. Newborns measure 10–13 centimetres (3.9–5.1 in) wide. Marine males mature at a disk width of 20 cm (7.9 in) and females at a disk width of 24 cm (9.4 in). Freshwater males mature at a disk width of 21 cm (8.3 in) and females at a disk width of 22 cm (8.7 in).[3][12]

Human interactions

If stepped on, the Atlantic stingray can inflict a painful, though rarely life-threatening wound. Large numbers of Atlantic stingrays are caught as

World Conservation Union.[1] However, some localized freshwater populations have shown reduced health and reproduction due to declining water quality.[3]

References

  1. ^
    doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T60158A124445557.en
    . Retrieved 26 May 2023.
  2. ^ Bailly, Nicolas (2017). "Hypanus sabinus (Lesueur, 1824)". WoRMS. World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h Passarelli, N. and Piercy, A. Biological Profiles: Atlantic Stingray. Florida Museum of Natural History Ichthyology Department. Retrieved on March 9, 2009.
  4. ^ a b Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2009). "Dasyatis sabina" in FishBase. March 2009 version.
  5. ^ Lesueur, C.A. (1824). "Description of several species of the Linnaean genus Raia, of North America". Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. 4 (1): 100–121.
  6. ^ Bigelow, H.B. and W.C. Schroeder (1953). Fishes of the Western North Atlantic, Part 2. Sears Foundation for Marine Research, Yale University. pp. 370–378.
  7. S2CID 85657403
    .
  8. ^
    ISBN 978-0-292-75206-1
    .
  9. ^
    S2CID 1980147
    .
  10. ^ Johnson, Michael R.; Snelson Jr., Franklin F. (1996). "Reproductive Life History of the Atlantic Stingray, Dasyatis Sabina (Pisces, Dasyatidae), in the Freshwater St. Johns River, Florida". Bulletin of Marine Science. 59 (1): 76.
  11. ^ Murch, A. Atlantic stingray. Elasm-diver.com. Retrieved on March 8, 2009.
  12. JSTOR 1445395
    .
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