Chinese stingray facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Chinese stingray |
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Hemitrygon
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| Species: |
sinensis
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The Chinese stingray (Hemitrygon sinensis) is a type of stingray that lives in the northwestern Pacific Ocean. You can find it near the coasts of China and Korea. This stingray has a unique feature: a band of small, tooth-like scales called dermal denticles. These scales run along its back, from its nose to its tail.
This stingray can grow quite large. Its body, which is shaped like a diamond, can be about 40 cm (16 in) wide. Its total length, including its tail, can reach up to 82 cm (32 in). Sadly, Chinese stingrays are often caught by accident in fishing nets. They are one of the most common stingrays sold in China. Because of this, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) says the Chinese stingray is an endangered animal.
Contents
Discovering the Chinese Stingray
The Chinese stingray was first officially described in 1892. An Austrian scientist named Franz Steindachner gave it the name Trygon sinensis. He wrote about it in a science journal.
The first example of this species studied by scientists was a male stingray. It was about 38 cm (15 in) wide. This particular stingray was found near Shanghai, China.
Where Chinese Stingrays Live
Chinese stingrays have been found along the coasts of China and Korea. They live in the Yellow, Bohai, and East China Seas.
These stingrays prefer cold waters close to the shore. They usually stay on or near the ocean bottom. They are found in waters less than 200 m (660 ft) deep.
What Does a Chinese Stingray Look Like?
The body of the Chinese stingray is shaped like a diamond. Scientists call this its pectoral fin disc. It is almost as wide as it is long. The front and back edges of its body are slightly curved.
Its snout, or nose, is triangular and sticks out. It makes up about a quarter of the disc's length. The stingray has medium-sized eyes. Right behind its eyes are two small holes called spiracles. These help the stingray breathe.
Mouth and Teeth
The mouth of the Chinese stingray is shaped like a bow. Inside its mouth, on the floor, are five small bumps called papillae. Three of these are in a front row, and two are in a back row.
Adult male stingrays have pointed teeth. Young stingrays and females have blunt teeth.
Tail and Skin
The tail of the Chinese stingray is long and thin, like a whip. It is almost twice as long as its body disc. The tail has folds of skin both on top and underneath. It also has a stinging spine. However, some stingrays might not have this spine.
The top of the stingray's body feels rough. This is because of a band of small, tooth-like scales called dermal denticles. These scales run from its snout all the way to the base of its tail.
Color and Size
The Chinese stingray is gray on its upper side. This color gets lighter, turning yellowish, towards the edges of its fins. Its underside is lighter in color.
Males can reach a body width of 40 cm (16 in) and a total length of 82 cm (32 in). Females are usually a bit smaller, reaching a total length of 73 cm (29 in).
Life and Habits
Scientists don't know much about the daily life of the Chinese stingray. Like other stingrays in its family, it is thought to give birth to live young. This means the babies develop inside the mother and are born alive, rather than hatching from eggs outside the body.
Conservation Status
The Chinese stingray is often caught by accident in large fishing nets called bottom trawls. These nets are used along the Chinese coast. Even though the stingray is caught, it doesn't bring much money to the fishermen. It is one of the three most common stingray species sold in China.
There is a lot of fishing in the areas where this stingray lives. However, it's hard to know exactly how many Chinese stingrays are left. It's also difficult for people to tell different stingray species apart. Because of these concerns, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has listed the Chinese stingray as an endangered species. This means it is at a very high risk of becoming extinct in the wild.
