#Myliobatiformes

[life-on-our-planet]

"The magic of the mobula ray migration." ©Aidan Bedford

[herpsandbirds]

Spotted Eagle Ray (Aetobatus narinari), family Aetobatidae, order Myliobatiformes, off the coast of NC, USA

ENDANGERED.

photograph by Jean St. Arnauld

[alphynix]

Lessiniabatis aenigmatica was a rather strange stingray.

It lived around 50-48 million years ago during the early Eocene, in a shallow warm sea covering what is now Italy, with its three known fossil specimens all coming from the fish-rich Monte Bolca fossil beds.

About 60cm long (~2'), it had a round pancake-like body similar to many modern seafloor-dwelling stingrays – but uniquely it was also almost tailless, with only a tiny, slender, stingless tail.

It wasn't a particularly strong swimmer, instead probably spending most of its time buried in the muddy seafloor sediment. When on the move it likely swam along just above the surface of the seafloor using undulations of its fins, foraging for smaller bottom-dwelling animals like worms, molluscs, crustaceans, and fish.

—

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[taxonomytournament]

Taxonomy Tournament: Cartilaginous Fish Finale!

Myliobatiformes. This order of batoids includes stingrays and manta rays.

Orectolobiformes. This order is known as the carpet sharks. Members include nurse sharks, whale sharks, and Wobbegong sharks

[snototter]

A bluespotted ribbontail ray (Taeniura lymma) off the coast of Safaga, Egypt

by Kary Mar

[uncharismatic-fauna]

A Stingray Abroad: The Broad Stingray

Bathytoshia lata is a stingray known by many names: the broad stingray, the brown stingray, and thorn tail stingray; Dasyatis lata, Dasyatis thetidis, and Dasyatis ushii. The species has accumulated all these names-- and quite a few others-- thanks to its broad distribution. It can be found in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans, as well as the Mediterranean sea. Typically the species stays on reefs or in coastal bays with muddy bottoms. Prior to 2012, genetic testing of stingray species revealed them to be populations of B. lata, hence the multitude of latin names.

The broad stingray is one of the largest species of stingrays; the average individual is about 1.5 m (5 ft) across and 56 kg (123 lb), with some populations reaching an excess of 2.6 m (8.5 ft) across and 290 kg (639 lbs). Females also tend to be larger than males. The body is diamond shaped, and the tail is often more than twice its length. B. lata is dark in color, often tan or black, with a white underbelly. Perhaps its most distinctive feature are the 'spines'-- also known as dermal denticles-- that line the tail and rear portion of the body, giving it the name 'thorn tail'.

The brown stingray is fairly docile, and spends most of the day lying inactive on the sea bed. At night they forage for crustaceans, polychaete worms, and small fish. They can use their powerful pectoral fins to burrow through the sand and uncover prey, and like sharks they have special organs called ampullae of Lorenzini that allow them to detect electrical fields emitted by their prey. The primary predator of B. lata is the hammerhead shark, and when threatened individuals will raise the spines along their tail to deliver whip-like blows.

Females become ready to mate in the summer, typically from November to March. Males are attracted to pheromones released by the female, and initiate a dance-like courtship ritual. If the female is receptive, he will bite down on her pectoral fins while grasping her with special claspers located at the base of the tail. Following the mating ritual, the female gestates her young internally for 10-12 months. This species is ovoviviparous, and the pups recieve nutirents from both a yolk and internally secreted milk. Following her pregnancy, the mother gives birth to live young, typically 3-4 in a litter. The pups are completely independent, and receive no parental care after being born. It takes them about 14-16 years to become fully mature, and individuals can live up to 28 years in the wild.

Conservation status: The broad stingray is considered Vulnerable by the IUCN. Its most common threat comes from being caught as by-catch in fishing nets, and intentionally for their meat and skin.

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Photos

Andy Murch

Sarah Speight

Andrew Green

Phillipe Guillaume

[rattyexplores]

Stingray feeding pits (ignore the holes in the centre, that's from GPS equipment).

The stingrays would come to Leeke's Estuary at high tide to feed. To hunt any sediment-dwelling organisms, the stingrays would dig into the sand, displacing a large amount of sediment in the process. This left large distinct holes across the estuary's sediment.

This impacts the ecosystem in a few interesting ways, such as the recolonization of pits by various organisms (VanBlaricom 1982).

More information:

VanBlaricom GR 1982 ‘Experimental Analyses of Structural Regulation in a Marine Sand Community Exposed to Oceanic Swell’ Ecological monographs vol. 52 no. 3 pp. 295-302.

O’shea OR, Thums, M, Keulen, MV, Meekan, M 2012, ‘Bioturbation by stingrays at Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia’, Marine and freshwater research, vol. 63, no. 3, p. 195.

12/09/23 - Myliobatiformes sp.

QLD:CQC, Woppa (Great Keppel Island), Leeke's Estuary, coastal mangrove forest

[manta-ray-space]

im sad this account hasnt been updated in 11 years :(

Leopard whipray - Himantura leoparda

Encountered in the Indo-Pacific from South Africa to Australia, the leopard whipray has a striking pattern of dark brown rings on its dorsal side that gave it its name. Like all species in the Himantura genus, known as the whiprays, it has a very long, thin tail that lacks a dorsal or caudal fin and can measure more than three times the length of its disc. Adults can reach approximately 5.9ft in width and a total length of about 13ft with an intact tail. Due to confusion with the closely related honeycomb and reticulate whiprays, the leopard whipray is not well known. It is heavily fished in parts of Indonesia for its meat and possibly other parts using bottom trawls, tangle nets, and longlines, and has not been classified by the IUCN at this time.

[haveyouseenthisanimal-irl]

[robin-evry]

This is based on a request that I accidentally lost, I'm sorry but here's your request, stingray!yuu. Sorry if it did not satisfy you

Ask and you shall receive

𝐃𝐎𝐑𝐌𝐒 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐘!𝐘𝐔𝐔 🫧🐚

Stingrays are a group of sea rays, a type of cartilaginous fish. They are classified in the suborder Myliobatoidei of the order Myliobatiformes and consist of eight families: Hexatrygonidae, Plesiobatidae, Urolophidae, Urotrygonidae, Dasyatidae, Potamotrygonidae, Gymnuridae and Myliobatidae.

Due to their species known for their dangerous tail, stingray!You grow up isolated and lonely. Without a friend to rely on after their attendance into NRC, the loneliness is still there but soon it started to fade away by meeting people who are willing to understand them

Octavinelle

Azul : Initially sees them isolated presence as a business opportunity. He’s intrigued by how people are cautious around them and thinks this could be an advantage for him, especially in shady dealings where intimidation is useful. He attempts to recruit them to work for the Mostro Lounge, believing their mysterious vibe will draw in curious customers. Over time, he grows to appreciate their loyalty and reserved strength, though he’s also careful not to underestimate them.

Jade: Is fascinated by them from the very beginning. He finds their quiet, observant nature similar to his own approach to life. Jade often strikes up conversations with them a surprise for them, watching how they react and learning more about their quiet resilience. He’s one of the few who never seems fazed by their aura and tail, instead viewing them as a rare creature of the deep, much like the unusual flora and fauna he enjoys studying. Them and Jade share a mutual understanding without needing to say much.

Floyd : Immediately calls them “Stingray-chan” and makes a game out of trying to get them to react. He enjoys teasing them, poking fun at how quiet and “spooky” they are. Despite his playful taunts, Floyd actually finds them interesting, often trying to figure out what makes them tick. When he’s in a good mood, he’ll drape his arm over their shoulders and refer to them as his “stingray buddy,” though in bad moods, he might try to provoke them just for fun. for their part, usually stays calm under Floyd’s antics, which only amuses him more.

IGNIHYDE

Idia shroud : both of them are introverts, one desire to communicate with people while the other one avoids all communication with people, both of them find games found and hang out with each other just to play video games, he doesn't mind their tail since you could just avoid it he doesn't find what's wrong with people and their tail.

Ortho : he was glad that his brother found a real life friend instead in front of the screen, he even thanks stingray!yuu for pushing him out to interact with people. He also protects stingray!yuu from any unnecessary bullying or comments from mean students.

DISMONIA

Malleus : understand each other,drawn in by their quiet strength and resilience. Like himself, he feels an instinctive connection to someone who understands the weight of being misunderstood. they often face misunderstanding from others, and he appreciates how they navigate the world with grace despite being viewed as strange. Malleus often protects them from unwanted attention, creating a safe space where they can be themselves without fear of judgment. In moments of solitude, he shares stories about his own experiences of loneliness, fostering a connection that transcends words. They would go out for walks together venting to each other about their loneliness making each other their comfort zone.

Lilia : Find them aura both intriguing and amusing. He enjoys teasing them, trying to draw out their reactions with playful banter and lighthearted pranks. Lilia senses that beneath their quiet exterior lies a vibrant spirit waiting to shine through, so he often encourages them to step outside their comfort zone, inviting them to join in the dorm's chaotic moments. As time passes, Lilia becomes one of the few who can make them smile genuinely, often referring to them as “his precious little stingray.”

Sebek : misunderstood them similar towards the others but grew to understand him, originally called them fish Mut when they visit dismonia to hang out with malleus, but was stopped by Lilia before it can escalate before malleus know about sebek insult to his dear friend, after that hang out he came to your table and apologies to you. Saying that he should have understood more about them instead based them on how people know them. As well started to hang out with them he vents about malleus and they just sit there and listen, the first person that listens to him. Is willing to understand them more.

Silver : Silver admires their determination to remain kind despite the misunderstanding, and they often engage in conversations about dreams and aspirations. They finds solace in Silver’s steady presence, and they often have deep, contemplative talks, appreciating the moments of peace amid the chaos of school life.

[todropscience]

RESEARCHERS NAMED A NEW SPECIES AS THE SANDWICH-TAIL

Dwarf stingrays (Brevitrygon spp), are found in soft bottoms in the continental shelves of the Indo-West Pacific from the Red Sea to Indonesia. These are usually found in fish markets along their distribution, and are frequently misidentified. Now, stingray experts have uncovered a new Brevitrygon species, from specimens collected between 1955 and 2014 from Pakistan to Mumbai, western India.

The sandwich-tail whipray (Brevitrygon manjajiae) is named after Dr. Mabel Manjaji-Matsumoto, the first researcher to identify and name the rays in the 60' as sandwich-tail, following the color of the tail, as it have dark brown on the top and bottom sides of its tail with white sides.

-Lateral and dorsal view of the post-sting tail of Brevitrygon manjajiae, showing the "sandwhich-like coloration.

Now, researchers have cleared the natural history of these dwarf stingrays, and have realized the species varies depending on where they are found, as these stingrays usually do not overlap in their distribution, making easy their identification.

Photo: A male sandwich-tail whipray collected from the Arabian Sea near Pakistan. Scale bar: 2 cm

Reference (Open Access): Last et al., 2023. The Indo-Pacific Stingray Genus Brevitrygon (Myliobatiformes: Dasyatidae): Clarification of Historical Names and Description of a New Species, B. manjajiae sp. nov., from the Western Indian Ocean. Diversity

[charring58]

The cownose ray (Rhinoptera bonasus) is a species of Batoidea found throughout a large part of the western Atlantic and Caribbean, from New England to southern Brazil (the East Atlantic populations are now generally considered a separate species, the Lusitanian cownose ray (R. marginata)).[2] These rays also belong to the order Myliobatiformes, a group that is shared by bat rays, manta rays, and eagle rays.[3]

[herpsandbirds]

Yellow Stingray (Urobatis jamaicensis), family Urotrygonidae, order Myliobatiformes, found along the Atlantic coast of The US and Central America and in the Caribbean

photographs by MattWright and FWC Fish and Wildlife Research Institute

[taxonomytournament]

Taxonomy Tournament: Chordata

Myxiniformes. This order is known as hagfish, jawless fish which release slime from their skin to protect themselves from predators. They are the only known living species to have a skull but no vertebral column.

Myliobatiformes. This order of batoids includes stingrays and manta rays.

[snototter]

A Honeycomb whipray (Himantura undulata) in Egypt, Africa

by Karsten Kretz

[newscinema]

Adorable footage shows football-loving RAYS showing off their ball skills at London Aquarium

Adorable footage shows football-loving RAYS showing off their ball skills at London Aquarium

Manta rays are believed to be some of the most intelligent creatures in the ocean and have several traits and studies to support this claim. The large fish belong to an order known as Myliobatiformes which includes stingrays and other similar species and is a group closely related to that of sharks and are characterized by their cartilaginous bodies. Further classification of the majestic marine…