Roughback whipray facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Roughback whipray |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Fluvitrygon
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| Species: |
kittipongi
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| Synonyms | |
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Himantura kittipongi |
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The roughback whipray (Fluvitrygon kittipongi) is a rare type of freshwater stingray. You can find it on sandy river bottoms in Thailand. This small ray grows to about 29 cm (11 in) across. It has an oval body and a long, thin tail.
This ray looks a lot like another ray called the white-edge freshwater whipray. But you can tell them apart by their colors. The roughback whipray is light gray to dark orange-brown on top. Its underside is white. It also has a dark stripe along its sides. A special "pearl organ" on its back helps identify it too. This is a small, hard bump found on all roughback whiprays. Scientists have found that many of these rays have old injuries on their fins and tails. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) says this ray is Endangered. This is because its home is being damaged and too many are being caught by fishing.
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How Scientists Discovered It
The roughback whipray was first described in 2005. Two scientists, Chavalit Vidthayanon and Tyson Roberts, wrote about it. Chavalit Vidthayanon works for WWF Thailand. Tyson Roberts is a researcher at the Smithsonian.
They named the ray after Khun Jarutanin Kittipong. He is a fish expert from Bangkok. Kittipong gave the scientists five of these rays. These five rays helped the scientists learn about the new species. A female ray, about 26 cm (10 in) wide, was used as the main example. Scientists believe this ray is most closely related to the white-edge freshwater whipray.
Where Does This Ray Live?
The first five roughback whiprays were found in the Mae Klong River in Kanchanaburi Province, Thailand. They were caught in fresh water, far from the ocean's tides. This ray has also been seen in the Chao Phraya River. It might even live in the Penang River in Peninsular Malaysia.
Scientists think the total area where this ray lives is quite small. It's less than 5,000 square kilometers (1,900 sq mi). This ray lives at the bottom of main river channels. It prefers depths of 5 to 20 meters (16 to 66 ft). Unlike some other rays, it likes sandy or silty riverbeds.
What Does the Roughback Whipray Look Like?
The roughback whipray has a thin, oval body. Its body is a bit longer than it is wide. The front edges of its body meet at a wide angle at its snout. The snout has a small, sticking-out knob. This knob is bigger than the one on the white-edge freshwater whipray.
Its eyes are small. Right behind the eyes are larger, tear-shaped openings called spiracles. There's a flap of skin between its nostrils. Its small mouth has 4 to 5 small bumps inside. The ray has tiny teeth arranged in rows. Its tail is like a whip and has no fins. It usually has one or two sharp, stinging spines on top. These spines are often broken off.
The roughback whipray has rough skin. It has a band of small, hard bumps covering its back and the base of its tail. There's also a bigger "pearl organ" in the middle of its back. This pearl organ stays with the ray its whole life. A line of larger bumps runs from this pearl to the sting.
The top of the ray is light gray, brown, or dark orange-brown. It has a white or yellow spot near its eyes and spiracles. Sometimes, there's a faint lighter band around its edge. The underside of the ray is white. It has a dark stripe along its side, unlike the white-edge freshwater whipray. This stripe goes from about one-third of the way back from the snout to its pelvic fins. The tail is gray to orange-brown on top. It's white underneath near the body. Past the sting, the tail becomes white with dark spots or nearly black. The largest roughback whipray found was a female, 29 cm (11 in) across.
Life and Habits of the Roughback Whipray
All five original roughback whipray specimens had old, healed injuries. Their bodies and/or pelvic fins were hurt. Much of their tails were bitten off. The remaining tail was only 1.3 to 1.8 times longer than the body width. Other freshwater stingrays in Thailand usually have their tails whole.
Mysterious Tail Wounds
Scientists are not sure why these rays have such short tails. One idea is that pufferfishes might bite them. But it's a mystery why other rays in the same area don't have these wounds. Another idea is that the rays might hurt their own tails. This could explain why the tail pieces are all about the same length.
What Does It Eat?
This ray has a very small mouth. It probably eats tiny crustaceans. It also likely eats other small creatures that live on the river bottom.
How Roughback Whiprays Have Babies
Like other stingrays, the roughback whipray gives birth to live young. The mother keeps the babies inside her body. She feeds them with a special "uterine milk." Male rays become old enough to have babies when they are about 25 cm (9.8 in) across.
Why This Ray Needs Our Help
The roughback whipray is not common. It is only found in a few places. It faces many dangers. People often catch it by accident in fishing nets and traps. Sometimes, it's caught with hooks and lines. This ray might be sold for food. It could also be sold to people who keep fish in aquariums.
Its home is also in danger. Forests are being cut down. Dams are being built. Land is being developed. And water pollution is a big problem. These issues have harmed other freshwater stingrays. Because of these threats, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has listed this species as Endangered. This means it is at high risk of disappearing forever.
