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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)

-American Round Rays (Family Urotrygonidae)

-Genus Urotrygon


The genus Urotrygon consists of small, benthic American round rays in the family Urotrygonidae. These rays are found in coastal and shallow waters of the eastern Pacific and western Atlantic Oceans, primarily near sandy or muddy bottoms.Body Shape: Round or oval disc-shaped body, tapering to a slender tail. Size: Small to medium-sized, generally less than 60 cm (24 inches) in length. Coloration: Typically brown, gray, or mottled to blend in with the seafloor. Tail & Venom: Long, whip-like tail with a venomous spine, used for defense. Feeds on small fish, crustaceans, and mollusks. Uses electroreception and keen smell to detect buried prey.

Diet

  • Primarily feed on polychaete worms, small crabs, shrimp, amphipods, isopods, molluscs, and other bottom-dwelling invertebrates.

  • Larger species occasionally consume small fishes.

  • Locate prey using highly sensitive electroreceptors and uncover it by stirring the sand with their disc.

Range

  • The genus Urotrygon is endemic to the eastern Pacific Ocean, ranging from the Gulf of California and the Pacific coast of Mexico south through Central America to northern Peru.

  • Numerous species occur along the Pacific coast of Mexico, including the Zihuatanejo region of Guerrero, where they inhabit shallow coastal waters.

Habitat

  • Inhabit sandy bays, mudflats, estuaries, coastal lagoons, seagrass beds, and soft-bottom continental shelf habitats.

  • Most species occur from the intertidal zone to depths of approximately 100 m (330 ft), although some are found considerably deeper.

  • Frequently bury themselves beneath the sand, leaving only their eyes and spiracles exposed to avoid predators and ambush prey.

Size

  • Depending on the species:

    • Disc width: 15–45 cm (6–18 in)

    • Total length: 25–70 cm (10–28 in)

    • Weight: Typically 0.5–5 kg (1–11 lb)

American Round Rays

Urotrygon (Genus)

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