CoP17 Prop. 45

Inclusion of Ocellate river stingray Potamotrygon motoro in Appendix II
Proponent: Plurinational State of Bolivia
Summary: The Ocellate River Stingray Potamotrygon motoro is a freshwater stingray from South America in
the family Potamotrygonidae. It has a wide distribution in Argentina, Plurinational State of Bolivia (Bolivia),Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname and the Bolivarian Republicof Venezuela (Venezuela).
There are a number of taxonomic uncertainties surrounding Potamotrygonidae; it is possible that P. motoromay comprise a cluster of different species1, 2, 3. There are also reports of hybridisation between P. motoro
and P. falkneri in the wild4.
There is limited biological or population information available, but the species is believed to exhibit lowfertility (with only the left ovary normally being present and functioning), long gestation periods (six months)
and slow growth. Size at maturity has been estimated at various sizes, ranging from 20cm to 39cm for males
and 24cm to 44cm for females. Age at maturity has been estimated at between 18 months and four years2.
Information on population size is sparse. P. motoro was the predominant fish species around Marajó Islandin the Amazon River in Brazil in 2005 to 2007, making up 50% of all catches; a 2009 study reported that
artisanal fishers in Soure, Brazil, indicated that they frequently caught the species1. A 2016 study reported it
was the most abundant Potamotrygon species found in a census of the Tomo River in Colombia, with areported density of 0.3 individuals per 1000m2 5. It was found at low densities in fisheries captures in the Rio
Negro of the Orinoco in Colombia6. Only 79 specimens of P. motoro (52 males and 27 females) were foundduring night-time visual surveys in the dry season in 2010 to 2011 in the Estrella Fluvial de Inírida region in
Venezuela and Colombia, where P. motoro was reportedly historically abundant7. Detection rates, however
are dependent on a number of factors, including water levels and temperature, and time of the year andday8. Encounter rates by fishers in the Amazon in Peru have reportedly declined in more accessible areas 9.
The main impacts negatively affecting P. motoro are believed to be commercial and artisanal fisheries for theornamental fish trade, particularly targeting juveniles. P. motoro is also caught for local consumption/use ofits meat, oil and spines and it also may be affected by habitat modification.
Catch and trade data for P. motoro exist for Peru, Colombia and Brazil, however there are many
uncertainties over the quality of the data, due to identification issues and specimens being traded using theircommon names, and concerns that numbers may be overestimates 3. There are inadequate catch data
available in most of the key exporting countries to determine the proportion of total catch destined fordomestic and international markets, although in Iquitos, Peru, a high proportion of all rays caught wereexported9.
From 2000 to 2014 recorded annual exports from Peru averaged 25,000 specimens, with a peak in 2008 of
ca. 45,000 specimens, after which annual exports declined again to similar levels as 2000 to 2002 (fewer
than 20,000 individuals)10. Between 1999 and 2011 Colombia reported the export of an annual average ofca. 6500, increasing steadily from 1999, with a peak of 20,200 in 20082, after which quantities declined again
to below 10,000 specimens in 2010 to 2011. Brazil exported ca. 6000 per year in 2003 to 2005, after which
their exports declined greatly, although data are not available for recent years3.
Based on USA trade data for 2004 to 2013, imports of Potamotrygon species were reported only from Brazil,Colombia and Peru. Most trade is reported at genus level. This has shown an increase from negligible levels
in 2004 to 2008 to over 1500 per year in 2012 to 201311.
Some export of freshwater rays in general has been reported from Argentina but at a very low level (ca. 75
per year for 2004 to 20013); no export has been reported from Bolivia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Uruguay orVenezuela. There is reported to be transborder movement of Potamotrygon species, including P. motoro
from Venezuela to Colombia via Puerto Carreño and Puerto Inírida3.
The principal destinations for exports are Europe, the USA and increasingly East Asia 2. The species isoffered for sale on the internet12, 13, 14, 15, 16 and appears readily available in the aquarium trade, however theprovenance of many of these specimens is unknown. This species is reported to breed easily in captivity,and captive-breeding is known to be occurring in Europe, Southeast Asia and the USA. There is reportedly asurplus of captive-bred P. motoro individuals in European public aquaria, and therefore any demand for1

CoP17 Prop. 45
wild-caught specimens in Europe is believed to come mainly from private collectors17, 18. The USA reported
the export of over 3500 captive-bred Potamotrygon specimens in 2004 to 201311.
Brazil, Colombia and Peru have specific regulations in place governing harvesting and trade of ornamental
species, including P. motoro, and Bolivia reports having draft legislation to control trade in ornamental fish in
Bolivia underway. At an international level, this group of species has been the focus of several CITES
Decisions aimed at improving the available information on their taxonomy, biology, population sizes/trends,
harvesting and trade, with an expert workshop in 2014 identifying possible priority species and future actions,
including Appendix II and III listings. The Supporting Statement does not provide details on how it fits within
the wider picture and recommended actions. A proposal to list this species and P. schroederi in Appendix II
was submitted to CoP16 but was not accepted.
Potamotrygon motoro can supposedly be differentiated from other Potamotrygon species by their colour
patterns/markings, however these taxonomic uncertainties are problematic for monitoring use and trade inthis species.
Potamotrygon motoro is classified by IUCN as Data Deficient (2005 – needs updating), although there may
be some confusion with taxonomy in that assessment as a much more limited range is reported8.
Analysis: Potamotrygon motoro has a very wide distribution in South America. Information on population
status and trends is sparse and variable. It has been reported as abundant in some places and as occurring
at low densities in others. There are some indications of declines in some locations. The species is taken infisheries for local consumption of its meat and export of live specimens for the ornamental fish trade. Threeout of eleven range States (Brazil, Colombia and Peru) are known to export the species. Reported export
has been of the order of a few tens of thousands of specimens annually. These exporting countries comprisea reasonably large proportion of the overall range of the species, although it is not known how extensive
harvest for export in any of the three known exporting range States is, or in general what proportion of thecatch in these States is destined for export rather than for local consumption, although it may be significant inPeru. There is overall insufficient information to determine whether this species meets the criteria forinclusion in Appendix II.
Reviewers: J. González Sanz, H. Ortega Torres, M.L. Goes de Araujo and G. Sant.
References:
Information not referenced in the Summary section is from the Supporting Statement.
1 De Almeida, M.P, Barthem, R.B., da Silva Viana, A. & Charvet-Almeida, P. (2008) Freshwater stingray diversity(Chondrichthyes Potamotrygonidae) in the Amazon estuary. (Diversidade de raias de água doce
(Chondrichthyes:Potamotrygonidae) no estuário Amazônico). Arquivos de Ciências do Mar 41: 82-89.
2 Lasso, C.A., Rosa, R.S., Sánchez-Duarte, P., Morales-Betancourt, M.A. & Agudelo-Córdoba E. (2013) IX. Rayas deAgua Dulce de Suramérica. Parte I. Serie Editorial Recursos Hidrobiológicos y Pesqueros Continentales de Colombia.
Instituto de de Investigación de los Recursos Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt. Bogota, D.C., Colombia. 368 pp.
3 Sánchez-Duarte P., Parra S., Baptiste M.P., Lasso C. & Calver, M. (2015) Freshwater Stingray (FamilyPotamotrygonidae) Expert Workshop – CITES Working Group. Amazonia Regional programme (BMZ/DGIS/GIZ), 28-29
October 2014. Workshop Report based on report written by consultant Antonio Machado Allison. AC28 Document 18,Annex.
4 Cruz, V.P., Vera, M., Mendonca, F.F., Pardo, B.G., Martinez, P., Oliveira, C. & Foresti, F. (2014) First identification ofinterspecies hybridization in the freshwater stingrays Potamotrygon motoro and P. falkneri (Myliobatiformes,Potamotrygonidae). Conservation Genetics 16: 241-245.
5 Morales-Betancourt, M.A. & Lasso-Alcalá, C.A. (2016) Proposal of a non-lethal visual census method to estimate
freshwater stingray abundance. Universitas Scientiarum 21: 23-32.
6 Prada-Pedreros, S., González-Forero, J. & Mondragón-Estupiñan, J. (2009) Capturas ícticas incidentales de la pesca
ornamental en el período de aguas bajas en el área de influencia de Puerto Carreño, Orinoquia colombiana. Universitas
Scientiarum 14: 2-3.
7 CITES (2013) CoP16 Prop. 48 Consideration of Proposals for Amendment of Appendices I and II.
8 Drioli, M. & Chiaramonte, G. (2005) Potamotrygon motoro. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2.
9 Ortega Torres, H. (2016) In litt. to the IUCN/TRAFFIC Analyses Team, Cambridge, UK.
10 Ortega Torres, H. (2016) In litt. to the IUCN/TRAFFIC Analyses Team, Cambridge, UK (DIREPRO data from theLoreto region).
11 Analysis of US Fish & Wildlife Service Law Enforcement Management Information System (LEMIS) data, May 2016.
12 Anon (2016) How to keep Stingrays. http://www.tropicalfishfinder.co.uk/article-detail?id=115. Viewed on 24th June
2016.
13 Anon. (2016).Potamotrygon motoro. https://www.milanuncios.com/peces/potamotrygon-motoro-194399369.htm.
Viewed on 24th June 2016.

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CoP17 Prop. 45

14Anon. (2016) Motoro Freshwater Stingray.http://www.petsolutions.com/C/Live-Freshwater-Fish-Stingrays/I/MotoroFreshwater-Stingray.aspx. Viewed 24th June 2016.
15 Anon. (2016) Potamotrygon Motoro-Raie d’eau douce mouchetée. http://www.poisson-or.com/poissons-d-eau-douceraies/30968--promo-potamotrygon-motoro-raie-d-eau-douce-mouchetee-20-25-cm.html. Viewed on 24th June 2016.
16 Tropiland (2016) Freshwater Stingray Potamorigon Motoro body board about 15 cm 1 mice.
http://item.rakuten.co.jp/tropiland/65471170100/. Viewed on 24th June 2016.
17 Gonzalez Sanz, J. (2016) In litt. to the IUCN/TRAFFIC Analyses Team, Cambridge, UK.
18 Gonzalez Sanz, J. (2015) European monitoring 2015 - South American freshwater stingray: Potamotrygon motoro.
Zaragoza Aquarium, Spain.

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