WHATSTHATFISH
Sharks & rays

Porcupine Whipray

Urogymnus asperrimus

Also known as: African Ray, Armored Stingray, Black-spotted Ray, Porcupine Ray, Rough-skinned Ray, Roughskin Stingaree, Solanders Ray, Thorny Ray, Thorny Stingray

ENEndangeredIUCN Red List, 2024
Handle with careLook, don't touch
Adult
@NatureWatcher · Bird Island, Seychelles · May 20151 / 1
01

Overview

Found singly, or in small fevers, sometimes buried in the sand with just the eyes showing, resting on the substrate or swimming, over coral, rubble, and sandy areas, in caves or close too reefs, of lagoons and the continental shelf.

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! (as happened to Steve Irwin)

02

How to identify

COLOURS
Pattern
black spot
Body shape
thorns

Tap any trait to see other fish that share it.

03

Habitat & where to find it

  • Range · Indo-Pacific, Eastern Atlantic
  • Country only · 1
LIVES IN

Found singly, or in small fevers, sometimes buried in the sand with just the eyes showing, resting on the substrate or swimming, over coral, rubble, and sandy areas, in caves or close too reefs, of lagoons and the continental shelf.

04

Adult photos 1

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. genusUrogymnus
    7. speciesUrogymnus asperrimus (Bloch & Schneider, 1801)

    SourcesWoRMSFishBase

    06

    More in the family

    Stingrays (Dasyatidae)