Marbled Whipray

The marbled whipray, Himantura oxyrhyncha, is an extremely rare, little-known species of stingray in the family Dasyatidae, native to several freshwater rivers in Southeast Asia. This species has a oval pectoral fin disc with a elongated, pointed snout and a very long, whip-like tail without fin folds. It is characterized by numerous heart-shaped dermal denticles and tubercles on its upper surface, as well as a reticulated pattern of brown blotches on a light background. The maximum recorded disc width is 36 cm (14 in). The marbled whipray has been assessed as Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN); it is heavily threatened by fishing and habitat loss, degradation, and fragmentation.