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A stingray's barb (ruler in mm). The barb is covered with rows of flat spines, composed of vasodentin. Vasodentin is an incredibly strong cartilaginous material which can easily cut through flesh. The undersides of the spines contain two longitudinal grooves which run along the length of the spine and enclose venom-secreting cells.
The most distinctive characteristic of the cowtail stingray is the large, flag-like ventral fold on its tail, which is especially prominent when the ray is swimming. This species is targeted by commercial fisheries as a source of high-quality shagreen , a type of leather , and its populations are now under threat from heavy exploitation.
Potamotrygon leopoldi is part of a species complex of blackish river rays with contrasting pale spots found in the Tapajós, Xingu and Tocantins basins [3]. River stingrays are almost circular in shape, and range in size from Potamotrygon wallacei, which reaches 31 cm (1.0 ft) in disc width, [9] to the chupare stingray (S. schmardae), which grows up to 2 m (6.6 ft) in disc width. [10]
A diversity of stingray fossils is known from the Eocene Monte Bolca formation from Italy, including the early stingaree Arechia, as well as Dasyomyliobatis, which is thought to represent a transitional form between stingrays and eagle rays, and the highly unusual Lessiniabatis, which had an extremely short and slender tail with no sting. [6] [7]
Deaths from stingray venom are rare, but the most notable example is “Crocodile Hunter” Steve Irwin, who died after a short-tailed stringray’s barb pierced his heart in 2006.
Potamotrygon rex, the great river stingray, is a species of freshwater stingray belonging to the family Potamotrygonidae, native to South America in the Neotropical region. [2] [3] P. rex, along with some other Potamotrygon species form a sub-species group known as "black stingrays" known by their similar features and their locality to rivers draining the Central Brazilian Shield.
A stingray impaled one beachgoer with a barb, and a second person was also stung while in ankle-deep water at Daytona Beach, a Florida official said. ... serrated barbs at the ends of their tails ...
Potamotrygon is a genus of freshwater stingrays in the family Potamotrygonidae native to the rivers of South America, [1] and sometimes seen in the aquarium trade. [2] It inhabits rivers of tropical and subtropical climates, especially those of the Amazon basin and is virtually present in all South American countries, except for Chile.