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Phylum Chordata > Subphylum Vertebrate > fishes > Order Rajiformes > Family Dasyatidae
Mangrove whipray
Himantura walga
Family Dasyatidae
updated Oct 08

Where seen? This plain stingray with a sharp pointed snout is sometimes seen on our Northern shores, usually on muddy shores. It is more active at night and at high tide. Small ones are sometimes also seen trapped in pools in the seagrass meadows of Chek Jawa at low tide.

Features: Grows to about 25cm in diameter, those seen about 15-20cm. Body kite-shaped with a pointed snout. Body colour plain beige or pinkish without any markings. Tail long and whip-like without markings. It does not have a skin fold on the tail. The female has a shorter tail with a bulbous end. It has spines on the tail which can cause a painful wound by injecting a venom.

Sometimes mistaken for a horseshoe crab and visa versa. In murky waters, these two different animals do have a similar profile, both being round and flat with a long tail.

Human uses: It is harvested commercially as a food fish. According to FishBase: It is caught in large quantities as by-catch of bottom trawl and trammel net fisheries

Pulau Sekudu, May 04


Blue-spotted stingrays and Mangrove whiprays
in a sandy lagoon.
Pulau Sekudu, Apr 06

Mangrove whipray on Singapore shores


Pulau Sekudu, Jul 03


Pulau Sekudu, Apr 09


Beting Bronok, May 09
Photo shared by Marcus Ng on his flickr.

Links
References
  • Lim, S., P. Ng, L. Tan, & W. Y. Chin, 1994. Rhythm of the Sea: The Life and Times of Labrador Beach. Division of Biology, School of Science, Nanyang Technological University & Department of Zoology, the National University of Singapore. 160 pp.
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