Southern Stingray (Dasyatis americana) (Hildebrand & Schroeder, 1928)

 

Synonyms: Hypanus americanus

 

 

Dasyatis americana (or Hypanus americanus) inhabits subtropical and tropical waters of the western Atlantic Ocean from New England to southern Brazil, including the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea. It is generally found in shallow coastal or estuarine habitats with sandy or silt bottoms, or over seagrass beds; usually at 1-2 m or deeper. These stingrays have a flattened, diamond-shaped body (up to 60-70 cm wide in males and 150-200 cm in females), olive-brown to dark grey; the underside is mainly white. The slender tail, nearly twice as long as the body, possesses a serrated and venomous barb, used for defence. H. americanus is ovoviviparous; 2 to 10 pups per litter. This species feeds on benthic invertebrates, including crustaceans and worms, and also small fishes. Known lifespan is 12-13 years.

 

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