Othniel Charles Marsh
Before the description of "Asterotrygon", "Heliobatis" was the only known stingray in the Green River Formation. American paleontologist Othniel Charles Marsh named "Heliobatis radians" in 1877, and "Xiphotrygon acutidens" and "Palaeodasybatis discus" were subsequently named from the formation in 1879 and 1947, respectively. These stingrays were later synonymized with "Heliobatis".