Tatiana's river stingray facts for kids

The Tatiana's river stingray (scientific name: Potamotrygon tatianae) is a special type of stingray. It lives only in freshwater rivers, not the ocean! You can find this unique fish in the Madre de Dios River and the upper parts of the Madeira River. These rivers are located in Peru. This means the Tatiana's river stingray is endemic to this area. It is part of the Potamotrygonidae family, which includes all river stingrays.

What Does This Stingray Look Like?

This river stingray has an oval-shaped body. Its body is a bit longer than it is wide. The total length of this stingray can be up to 75.5 cm (2 ft 5.7 in). Its main body, called the disc, can be up to 47.5 cm (1 ft 6.7 in) long and 36.2 cm (1 ft 2.3 in) wide.

The mouth of the Tatiana's river stingray is quite small. It opens in a mostly straight line. Inside its mouth, it has small, fleshy bumps called papillae. There are two papillae on the sides and three in the middle. One of the middle papillae is closer to its lower jaw.

This stingray has many small teeth. It can have between 36 and 46 rows of teeth in its upper jaw. In its lower jaw, it has about 33 to 45 rows of teeth.

Colors and Patterns

The Tatiana's river stingray usually has a dark, blackish-brown color. On this dark background, it has many spots. These spots can be beige, light beige, or even dark brown. The patterns help it blend in with its river home.

Why Is It Called Tatiana's?

This special stingray was named after a person! Her name was Tatiana Raso de Moraes Possato. She was a biology student who loved studying fish. She was especially interested in chondrichthyans, which are fish with skeletons made of cartilage, like sharks and rays. She also studied potamotrygonids, which are river stingrays. Scientists named this stingray in her honor.

See also

In Spanish: Potamotrygon tatianae para niños