Round whipray facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Round whipray |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Maculabatis
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| Species: |
pastinacoides
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| Synonyms | |
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The round whipray (Maculabatis pastinacoides) is a type of stingray that lives in the ocean. It's part of the Dasyatidae family, which includes many different kinds of rays. You can mostly find these rays in the area called the Malay Archipelago. This includes countries like Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, and Thailand. They might also live in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
Sadly, the round whipray is in trouble. In 2004, experts thought it was a vulnerable species, meaning it could become endangered. But by 2020, its status changed to endangered. This means there are very few of them left, and they are at high risk of disappearing forever. While we don't know exactly how many round whiprays there are, we do know that other similar whipray species are decreasing in number because of fishing.
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Where the Round Whipray Lives
Round whiprays love to hang out near the bottom of the Indo-Pacific Ocean. They can be found in shallow waters near the surface, but they can also dive deep, up to about 60 meters (that's about 200 feet!) below the surface.
About the Round Whipray
Round whiprays are born live, not from eggs. When they are born, their body (called a disc) is usually about 15 to 16 centimeters wide. Male whiprays become adults when their disc is about 43 to 46 centimeters wide. Female whiprays need to be a bit bigger, around 58 centimeters wide, to be considered adults. A fully grown adult round whipray can reach a maximum size of 86 centimeters across its disc.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
Round whiprays reproduce by pairing up. They usually have only one baby at a time. Each generation of round whiprays can live for about 20 years.
How Humans Affect Round Whiprays
Round whiprays are often caught by accident in fishing nets. This is called "bycatch." It happens in both large and small fishing operations. There aren't specific programs just for saving round whiprays right now. However, there are rules in place to stop big fishing companies from catching too many fish. These rules might help the round whipray populations recover, especially since they are often caught by accident.
