 The pectoral fin disc of the reticulate whipray is diamond-shaped and wider than long, with the leading margins almost straight and the snout and outer corners angular. In juveniles, the disc is about as wide as long, with a more obtuse snout and rounded corners. The eyes are small and immediately followed by the spiracles (paired respiratory openings). A short and wide curtain of skin with a minutely fringed rear margin is present between the long, thin nostrils. The mouth is relatively small, with a deep concavity at the center of the lower jaw and shallow furrows at the corners extending onto the lower jaw. A row of 4 – 5 papillae (nipple-like structures) is found across the floor of the mouth. There are 26 – 40 upper tooth rows and 27 – 44 lower tooth rows. The pelvic fins are small and triangular. The tail is whip-like and extremely thin, measuring 3 – 3.5 times as long as the disc when intact, and lacks fin folds. Usually one serrated stinging spine is located on the upper surface on the tail, some distance from the base.
