honeycomb whipray (Himantura fava)
Source-cited species reference: taxonomy from WoRMS, biology from FishBase, description from Wikipedia.
Himantura fava, the honeycomb whipray, is a species of stingray in the family Dasyatidae. It is found in coastal regions including estuaries, in the Indo-Pacific off India, Indonesia, and the Gulf of Thailand. As presently defined, it is probably a species complex.
- Scientific name
- Himantura fava
- Authority
- (Annandale, 1909)
- Family
- Dasyatidae
- Order
- Myliobatiformes
- Maximum length
- 120 cm
- Habitat zone
- demersal
Classification (WoRMS)
Full classification as recorded by WoRMS: Kingdom: Animalia · Phylum: Chordata · Class: Elasmobranchii · Order: Myliobatiformes · Family: Dasyatidae · Genus: Himantura.
Accepted name: Himantura fava · Authority: (Annandale, 1909) · Taxonomic status: accepted · AphiaID: 298783.
Synonyms and superseded combinations recorded for this taxon: Dasyatis favus (Annandale, 1909); Trygon fava Annandale, 1909; Trygon favus Annandale, 1909.
Source: World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=298783 (CC BY 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-23.
Biology and life history (FishBase)
Measured values published by FishBase for Himantura fava. Only fields the database actually holds for this species are shown; these are database values, not aquarium guidance.
Maximum length: 120 cm · Habitat zone: demersal · Body shape: other · Vulnerability index: 90 of 100 · Fishery importance: minor commercial · Aquarium trade: never/rarely.
FishBase notes: Found inshore on soft substrates. Viviparous, with histotrophy. Few biological information is available, diet presumably consists of crustaceans and small fishes. Caught occasionally in demersal tangle nets; meat, skin (of high value) and cartilage are utilized (Ref. 58048).
Source: FishBase species summary (SpecCode 63625) — https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Himantura-fava.html (CC BY-NC 3.0 — non-commercial use only). Accessed 2026-09-23.
Description and natural history (Wikipedia)
The first known specimens of this species were two 130 cm wide adult females collected near Orissa, India by the steamer Golden Crown, and described by Scottish zoologist Nelson Annandale in a 1909 issue of Memoirs of the Indian Museum. He remarked that it was closely allied to Himantura uarnak with the main distinguishing feature being the mouth. Smaller differences included a yellow, as opposed to white, reticulated pattern on the dorsal surface, and the lack of stellate denticles.
The species has had a confused taxonomic history. Many sources still consider H. fava to be a synonym of Himantura undulata.
This species is characterized by absence of skin fold on the ventral surface of the tail, in common with other Himantura species. The main body disc is somewhat quadrangular. The whip-like tail is variably banded. The pattern on the upper surface of the disc is related to age; adults have widely spaced, honeycomb-like reticulations, whereas juveniles display relatively large spots.
It is the target of commercial fisheries in Indonesia, primarily for its skin which is of high value for use as galuchat. The meat is consumed, and the cartilage also finds a commercial use.
Source: Wikipedia: Himantura fava — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Himantura_fava (CC BY-SA 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-23.
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