Long-tailed river stingray

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Long-tailed river stingray
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Chondrichthyes Subclass: Elasmobranchii Order: Rajiformes Family: Potamotrygonidae Genus: Plesiotrygon Species: P. iwamae
Binomial name
Plesiotrygon iwamae (Rosa, Castello & Thorson, 1987)

The long-tailed river stingray (Plesiotrygon iwamae), also called the Amazon River ray, is a freshwater stingray, the only member of the genus Plesiotrygon, found in the Amazon River basin.

Characteristic features are: a long filiform tail, reduced eyes, and a low number of pectoral-fin radials.

Their prey includes worms, crustaceans, mollusks, and small bottom fish (such as small catfish). They can detect electrical and chemical signals from prey in mud and sand.

The species was first discovered by Hugo P. Castello, circa 1987, in the Museu de Zoologia, University of São Paulo. Previously misidentified, or unidentified, specimens were then found in other museums.

This fish seldomly appears in the aquarium trade.

[edit] References

• Ricardo S. Rosa; Hugo P. Castello; Thomas B. Thorson (1987). "Plesiotrygon iwamae, a New Genus and Species of Neotropical Freshwater Stingray (Chondrichthyes: Potamotrygonidae)". Copeia: 447-458. 
• "Plesiotrygon iwamae". FishBase. Ed. Ranier Froese and Daniel Pauly. May 2006 version. N.p.: FishBase, 2006.