Roughtail stingray
The largest whip-tail stingray in the Atlantic, with venomous spine.
The roughtail stingray (Bathytoshia centroura) belongs to the family Dasyatidae and lives in two separate groups in the western Atlantic Ocean—one off the northeastern coast of North America and another off the southeastern coast of South America. This bottom-dwelling ray prefers sandy or muddy seafloors dotted with patches of invertebrates, usually at depths between 15 and 50 meters (49–164 feet). It migrates with the seasons, spending winters in deeper offshore waters and moving into shallower coastal areas during summer. As the largest whip-tailed stingray in the Atlantic, it can reach a width of 2.6 meters (8.5 feet) and weigh up to 360 kilograms (800 pounds). Its body is plain in color, with a diamond-shaped, angular pectoral fin disc and a long, whip-like tail that has a subtle fin fold underneath. What sets it apart from other stingrays in its range is the covering of many thorns on its back and tail.
The ray often lies buried in sediment on the bottom and feeds as a generalist predator, eating a variety of bottom-dwelling invertebrates and bony fishes. It reproduces through aplacental viviparity: embryos first get nourishment from a yolk, then from a uterine milk-like substance called histotroph produced by the mother. Its venomous tail spine can be dangerous to humans. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classifies the roughtail stingray as vulnerable overall.
The first scientific description of this species came from American naturalist Samuel Mitchell in 1815, in one of the earliest North American works on fish, a short treatise on the fishes of New York. Mitchell based his account on specimens caught off Long Island but did not designate any type specimens. He named the new species *Raja centroura*, from the Greek word *centoro* ("pricker"), referring to its thorns. Later, researchers moved it to the genus *Dasyatis*. It is also sometimes called the rough-tailed stingray, rough-tailed northern stingray, or thorny stingray.
The taxonomy of the roughtail stingray is not fully settled. The two widely separated populations—one in the northwestern Atlantic and one in the southwestern Atlantic—differ in life history and may actually represent a complex of distinct species.
Quick Facts
- Genus
- Bathytoshia
- Species
- centroura
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The roughtail stingray was first described by American naturalist Samuel Mitchell in 1815, based on specimens caught off Long Island, and named Raja centroura from the Greek centoro ('pricker') in reference to its thorns. Its taxonomy is not fully resolved; the disjunct northwestern and southwestern Atlantic populations may represent a complex of different species. A 2001 phylogenetic analysis found it to be the sister species to the broad stingray (B. lata), and a 2016 molecular review led to the eastern Atlantic population being redesignated as Bathytoshia lata.
This bottom-dwelling species typically inhabits sandy or muddy areas with patches of invertebrate cover at depths of 15–50 m, though it has been recorded to 274 m in the Bahamas. It is seasonally migratory, overwintering offshore and moving into coastal habitats for summer. The ray is plain in color, with an angular, diamond-shaped pectoral fin disc and a long, whip-like tail bearing a subtle fin fold underneath. The many thorns on its back and tail serve to distinguish it from other stingrays that share its range.
Often found lying on the bottom buried in sediment, the roughtail stingray is a generalist predator that feeds on a variety of benthic invertebrates and bony fishes. It is aplacental viviparous, with embryos receiving nourishment initially from yolk, and later from histotroph ('uterine milk') produced by the mother. The venomous tail spine is potentially dangerous to humans.
Reader's Guide
The roughtail stingray is significant as the largest whip-tail stingray in the Atlantic, reaching 2.6 m across and 360 kg. Its venomous spine makes it potentially dangerous to humans, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has listed it as vulnerable overall. The species has a broad but discontinuous distribution in the western Atlantic, from Massachusetts to Florida and the Gulf of Mexico, with scattered reports from Venezuela to Argentina and Belize. Its taxonomy remains unresolved, with the disjunct northwestern and southwestern Atlantic populations possibly representing different species. The ray's seasonal migrations off the eastern United States are tied to its favored temperature range of 15–22 °C. It is a generalist predator whose diet reflects available prey, and it is preyed upon by sharks such as the great hammerhead. Reproduction occurs on an annual cycle, with females giving birth to 4–6 young after a gestation of 9–11 months. The species is distinguished from other stingrays by the many thorns on its back and tail.
Did You Know?
- The roughtail stingray can reach 2.6 m (8.5 ft) across and 360 kg (800 lb) in weight.
- It is one of the deepest-diving stingrays, recorded to a depth of 274 m (899 ft) in the Bahamas.
- The many thorns on its back and tail distinguish it from other stingrays in its range.
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