Thorny Freshwater Stingray
Fontitrygon ukpam
- Critically endangered
- Card rarity: Legendary
- Sharks and rays
The pincushion ray or thorny freshwater stingray, is a little-known species of stingray in the family Dasyatidae, found in the rivers and lakes of West and Middle Africa. A heavy-bodied ray measuring up to 1.2 m (4 ft) across, this species can be distinguished by its rounded pectoral fin disk, reduced or absent stinging tail spine, and—in adults—numerous stout thorns covering its back and tail. In lieu of a long tail spine as in other stingrays, the pincushion ray employs these thorny denticles in defense. Seldom encountered since it was originally described, this species has been assessed as Critically Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Classification
- Class
- Chondrichthyes
- Order
- Myliobatiformes
- Family
- Dasyatidae
- Genus
- Fontitrygon