Do giant freshwater stingrays sting?

The giant freshwater stingray is not aggressive, but its sting is sheathed in toxic mucus and is capable of piercing bone. Across its range, this species is caught incidentally by artisanal fishers using longlines, and to a lesser extent gillnets and fish traps.

How big do giant freshwater stingrays get?

16.5 feet long
These ancient fish, little changed over many millions of years, can reach 16.5 feet long, including the tail. There are reports of giant stingrays weighing up to 1,300 pounds, though such accounts are not verified because weighing the enormous and awkward animals is very difficult.

What is the difference between a stingray and a manta ray?

Both have flattened body shapes and wide pectoral fins that are fused to the head. One of the biggest differences between manta rays and stingrays is that manta rays do NOT have a tail “stinger” or barb like stingrays. Stingrays dwell on the ocean bottom, but manta rays live in the open ocean.

What is the smallest stingray?

The smallest West African stingray, this species grows to 30 cm (12 in) across and a weight of 1 kg (2.2 lb). The pearl stingray differs from the daisy stingray in being much smaller, and having a relatively smaller, oval pearl spine, more tooth rows, and fewer pectoral fin radials (113–127 versus 129–136).

What’s the largest freshwater fish in the world?

beluga sturgeon
Sturgeon are the largest of the freshwater fish. The beluga sturgeon in Russia is the largest freshwater fish in the world. The white sturgeon is the largest freshwater fish in North America. White sturgeon have been reported to reach lengths of 15-20 feet and weights of nearly one ton.

Where are giant freshwater stingrays found in the world?

The giant freshwater stingray ( Urogymnus polylepis , also widely known by the junior synonym Himantura chaophraya) is a species of stingray in the family Dasyatidae. It is found in large rivers and estuaries in Indochina and Borneo, though historically it may have been more widely distributed in South…

How did the Himantura kittipongi stingray get its name?

The Himantura kittipongi freshwater stingray and was first observed in 2004 but was only confirmed as a new species by researchers from WWF-Thailand and the US-based Smithsonian Institute in 2006. The new species was named Himantura kittipongi after prominent Thai fish expert Kittipong Jaruthanin who first observed the ray in 2004.

Where can you find Himantura chaophraya in Malaysia?

They are also found in the Kinabatangan River in Malaysia, as well as the island of Borneo (in the Mahakam River). ( Last and Manjaji-Matsumoto, 2008; Monkolprasit and Roberts, 1990; Rainboth, 1996)

How big does a Himantura chaophraya tail get?

Individuals have been recorded to reach weights of 600kg and lengths of 300 cm in total length (one third of which was contributed by the tail). The tail is very smooth on the dorsal side, but the ventral side has a spine with saw-like serrations and an associated venom gland.