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Cartilaginous Fishes of Zihuatanejo

CLASS ELASMOBRANCHII

-Animals (Kingdom Animalia)

-Chordates (Phylum Chordata)

-Vertebrates (Subphylum Vertebrata)

-Elasmobranchs Class (Elasmobranchii)

-Sharks and Rays (Subclass Neoselachii)

-Rays (Infraclass Batoidea)

-Stingrays (Order Myliobatiformes)

-Whiptail Stingrays (Family Dasyatidae)

-Common Whiptail Stingrays (Subfamily Dasyatinae)

-Genus Hypanus

-Diamond Stingray (Hypanus dipterurus)


The Diamond Stingray (Hypanus dipterurus) is a large, powerful ray found in the eastern Pacific Ocean, from the western United States to South America. It is named for its broad, diamond-shaped disc formed by the pectoral fins, which is usually olive-brown to gray above and pale underneath, providing effective camouflage over sandy or muddy bottoms. This species can reach impressive sizes, with a disc width well over 1.5 meters (5 feet), and has a long, whip-like tail armed with one or more venomous spines used for defense. Diamond stingrays are typically solitary and slow-moving, often seen partially buried in sediment in shallow bays, estuaries, and coastal waters, where they feed on clams, crustaceans, and small fishes by uncovering prey in the sand.

Diet

  • Primarily feeds on polychaete worms, clams, snails, crabs, shrimp, amphipods, and other bottom-dwelling invertebrates.

  • Also consumes small fishes and cephalopods when available.

  • Locates prey using highly sensitive electroreceptors and excavates the seabed with its snout and pectoral fins before crushing hard-shelled prey with strong tooth plates.

Range

  • Native to the eastern Pacific Ocean, from the Gulf of California and the Pacific coast of Mexico south through Central America to Ecuador, including the Galápagos Islands.

  • Common along the Pacific coast of Mexico, including the Zihuatanejo region, where it is one of the most frequently encountered coastal stingrays.

Habitat

  • Inhabits sandy bays, estuaries, lagoons, seagrass beds, mudflats, and rocky reefs, from shallow coastal waters to depths of approximately 100 m (330 ft).

  • Often partially buries itself in sand, leaving only its eyes and spiracles exposed while waiting for prey or avoiding predators.

  • Frequently enters estuaries and other brackish coastal habitats.

Size

  • Disc width: Up to 1.2 m (4.0 ft)

  • Total length (including tail): Up to 2.5 m (8.2 ft)

  • Weight: Up to 50 kg (110 lb)

Diamond Stingray

Hypanus dipterurus

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