Mekong freshwater stingray

The Laos stingray ( Dasyatis laosensis ) is a Stechrochenart and lives in the rivers of the Mekong and Chao Phraya River in Laos and Thailand.

Features

The ray species has an oval pectoral fin disk, which is slightly longer than wide. It reaches widths of up to 62 cm with a maximum weight of 30 kg. The tip of the snout protrudes forwardly slightly beyond disc. The eyes are small, followed by slightly larger spray holes. The tail is whip-like and about twice as long as the disc wide. On the upper side of the tail she wears one, rarely two poisonous sting. The top is brown, the underside pale, with large, irregular yellow-orange spots and an orange red border.

Way of life

The Laos stingrays usually lives close on a sandy bottom in the Mekong and Chao Phraya in probably separated populations. He feeds on bottom-dwelling invertebrates. He is ovoviviparous with litters of probably no more than a cub. Frequently he is introduced as by-catch in the purse seine fishery for bonefish and marketed fresh for human consumption. Because of the strong exploitation of its habitat, dams and water pollution from industry and agriculture, he is classified by the IUCN as EN ( endangered ).