WHATSTHATFISH
Sharks & rays

Honeycomb Stingray

Himantura uarnak

Also known as: Banded Whiptail Stingray, Black-spotted Whipray, Coach Stingray, Coach Whipray, Dark-spotted Stingray, Dark-spotted Whipray, Honeycomb Ray, Honeycomb Whipray, Honey-combed Stingray, Leopard Ray, Leopard Stingray, Leopard Whipray, Longtail Ray, Longtail Stingray, Longtail Whipray, Long-tailed Ray, Long-tailed Stingray, Long-tailed Whipray, Marbled Stingray, Reticulate Stingray, Reticulate Whipray, Reticulated Whipray, Sharpnose Stingray, Whipray, Whiptail Ray, Whiptail Stingray

ENEndangeredIUCN Red List, 2021
Handle with careLook, don't touch
Adult
@Reefguide · Scuba Junkie, Malaysia · May 20131 / 8
01

Overview

Found singly, on sandy bottoms, over shallow bays, estuaries and lagoons as well as off-shore coral reefs.

Whiprays generally have much longer tails.

Rays are bottom feeders, they settle themselves down over their prey, trapping them against the substrate with their disc, then flexing their disc flaps and manoeuvring the victims into their mouths.
Most rays live in the sea, but some can be found in estuaries, often hard to see as they can be buried in the sand, occasionally they can be seen leaping out of the water.
As a form of defence rays have electric organs while others have venomous spines.
Usually rays will swim out of harms way if approached, however they can give a nasty sting which could prove fatal.
Never swim over the top of large rays, they think you are a predator and are likely to whip their tails in defense!

02

How to identify

COLOURS

Tap any trait to see other fish that share it.

03

Habitat & where to find it

  • Range · Indo-Pacific, Mediterranean
  • Exact location · 3
  • Country only · 5
LIVES IN

Found singly, on sandy bottoms, over shallow bays, estuaries and lagoons as well as off-shore coral reefs.

04

Adult photos 8

05

Discussion

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    ALL STAGES
    FOR THE MARINE-BIOLOGY CURIOUS

    Deep dive

    Taxonomy

    1. kingdomAnimalia
    2. phylumChordata
    3. classElasmobranchii
    4. orderMyliobatiformes
    5. familyDasyatidae
    6. genusHimantura
    7. speciesHimantura uarnak (Gmelin, 1789)

    SourcesWoRMSFishBase

    06

    More in the family

    Stingrays (Dasyatidae)