Roughnose stingray
A mangrove-associated stingray with a distinctive denticle-covered snout.
The roughnose stingray (*Pastinachus solocirostris*) is a poorly understood ray from the Dasyatidae family. It typically inhabits shallow, murky waters near mangroves and river mouths along the coasts of Borneo, Sumatra, and possibly Java. Its most distinctive feature is a pointed snout covered in tiny, tooth-like scales called dermal denticles, a trait that sets it apart from its close relatives. The ray can reach a disc width of 72 cm (28 in) and has a diamond-shaped body, a long, whip-like tail with a single fin fold on the underside, and one or two serrated spines on the tail. Its back is a plain olive to brown color, fading to pinkish near the edges and darkening to black at the tail tip, while the underside is nearly white.
Scientists Peter Last, B. Mabel Manjaji, and Gordon Yearsley formally described the species in 2005, naming it *solocirostris* from Latin words meaning "rough" or "bristly" and "snout." The original specimen used for the description was a 41 cm (16 in) wide adult male bought at a fish market in Mukah, Sarawak, Malaysia.
This bottom-dwelling ray is found along the western coast of Borneo (Sarawak, Brunei, and the far southwestern corner of Sabah) and off northeastern Sumatra. Some specimens have turned up in fish markets on Java, but their exact origins are unknown. It seems to prefer turbid, shallow waters less than 10 m (33 ft) deep, especially in mangrove estuaries with strong freshwater flow from rivers, though it has been recorded as deep as 30 m (98 ft).
Like other stingrays, the roughnose stingray reproduces through aplacental viviparity: embryos develop inside the mother, first nourished by a yolk sac and later by a nutrient-rich fluid. One observed female was carrying just a single late-stage pup. Newborns measure about 22–23 cm (8.7–9.1 in) across. Males reach sexual maturity at a disc width of 28–40 cm (11–16 in), and females at 50–60 cm (20–24 in).
The species faces serious threats from human activities. It is caught intentionally by bottom longline fisheries off Kalimantan and is also taken as bycatch in bottom trawl and gillnet fisheries off Kalimantan and Sumatra. Its meat and likely its skin are used. Even more damaging is the loss of its mangrove habitat: between 1980 and 2005, more than 30% of mangroves in Malaysia and Indonesia were cleared.
Quick Facts
- Genus
- Pastinachus
- Species
- solocirostris
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The roughnose stingray was described by Peter Last, B. Mabel Manjaji, and Gordon Yearsley in a 2005 paper for the scientific journal Zootaxa. Its specific epithet solocirostris derives from the Latin solocis ('rough' or 'bristly') and rostrum ('snout'), referencing its pointed, denticle-covered snout. The type specimen is an adult male 41 cm (16 in) across, collected from a fish market in Mukah, Sarawak, Malaysia.
This bottom-dwelling species is found along the western coast of Borneo (off Sarawak, Brunei, and the extreme southwestern corner of Sabah) and off northeastern Sumatra. Specimens have also been recorded from fish markets in Jakarta on Java, though their original localities are unknown. It appears restricted to turbid coastal waters and mangrove estuaries, particularly where there is high freshwater outflow from rivers, and has been recorded to a depth of 30 m (98 ft) though most occur shallower than 10 m (33 ft).
The pectoral fin disc is slightly wider than long, diamond-shaped, and rounded on the outer corners. The upper surface is densely covered by dermal denticles almost to the margins, with a transverse row of 1–3 enlarged thorns in the middle of the back. In life, the back is covered by a thick layer of mucus. The dorsal coloration is plain olive to brown, becoming pinkish towards the disc margins and on the pelvic fins, and darkening to almost black towards the tip of the tail. The underside is nearly white, becoming pinkish towards the fin margins.
Reader's Guide
The roughnose stingray is significant as a little-known species that faces severe threats from human activities. It is subject to intensive fishing pressure across much of its range: targeted by bottom longline fisheries off Kalimantan, and also captured by bottom trawl and demersal gillnet fisheries off Kalimantan and Sumatra. Its meat and probably skin are utilized. Habitat destruction poses another major threat: from 1980 to 2005, over 30% of the mangroves in Malaysia and Indonesia—critical habitat for this species—were cleared for various purposes. Additionally, widespread habitat degradation from blast fishing, agricultural runoff, and coastal development further imperils the species. As a result, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has assessed the roughnose stingray as Endangered. Its legacy is that of a poorly understood ray whose survival depends on the conservation of mangrove ecosystems and the management of fisheries in Southeast Asia.
Did You Know?
- The roughnose stingray's specific epithet solocirostris comes from Latin words meaning 'rough' or 'bristly' and 'snout'.
- One recorded female was gestating a single late-term fetus.
- Over 30% of mangroves in Malaysia and Indonesia were cleared between 1980 and 2005.
More in Reef Sharks and Rays, Part 3 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced