Xingu River ray
{{Short description|Species of cartilaginous fish}}
{{Redirect|Polka-dot stingray|Japanese band|Polkadot Stingray}}
{{Speciesbox
| image = White-blotched River Stingray Potamotrygon leopoldi 2284px.jpg
| image2 = Potamotrygon leopoldi.jpg
| status = VU
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| status2 = CITES_A2
| status2_system = CITES
| status2_ref = {{Cite web|title=Appendices {{!}} CITES|url=https://cites.org/eng/app/appendices.php|access-date=2022-01-14|website=cites.org}}
| genus = Potamotrygon
| species = leopoldi
| authority = Castex & Castello, 1970
| synonyms =
}}
The Xingu River ray, River stingray, white-blotched river stingray, or polka-dot stingray (Potamotrygon leopoldi) is a species of freshwater fish in the family Potamotrygonidae. It is endemic to the Xingu River basin in Brazil and as such prefers clear waters with rocky bottoms. It is sometimes kept in aquaria, like its more common relative the Motoro.
Etymology
The fish is named in honor of King Leopold III (1901–1983) of Belgium, who sponsored many scientific studies at the Institut Royal des Sciences Naturelles de Belgique.{{cite web | url = http://www.etyfish.org/myliobatiformes/ | title = Order MYLIOBATIFORMES (Stingrays) | access-date= 11 November 2021 | author1 = Christopher Scharpf | author2 = Kenneth J. Lazara | name-list-style = amp | work = The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database | publisher = Christopher Scharpf and Kenneth J. Lazara | date = 22 September 2018}}
Description
File:Potamotrygon leopoldi.ogv
Potamotrygon leopoldi reaches up to {{convert|40|cm|in|abbr=on}} in disc width,{{FishBase|genus=Potamotrygon|species=leopoldi|year=2017|month=February}} {{convert|75|cm|in|abbr=on}} in total length and {{convert|20|kg|lb|abbr=on}} in weight.Fishing World-records: [http://www.fishing-worldrecords.com/scientificname/Potamotrygon%20leopoldi/show Potamotrygon leopoldi.] Retrieved 22 February 2017. Females grow larger than males.{{cite web | url=http://www.dwazoo.com/animal/polka-dot-stingray/ | title=Polka-dot stingray, Potamotrygon leopoldi | publisher=Dallas World Aquarium | work=Animals | access-date=25 January 2016}} It is closely related to the similar P. henlei from the Tocantins River basin and P. albimaculata from the Tapajós River basin.{{cite journal | title=Description of two extraordinary new species of freshwater stingrays of the genus Potamotrygon endemic to the rio Tapajós basin, Brazil (Chondrichthyes: Potamotrygonidae), with notes on other Tapajós stingrays| date=2016| last1=Carvalho| first1=Marcelo R. de| journal=Zootaxa| volume=4167| issue=1| pages=1–63| doi=10.11646/zootaxa.4167.1.1|doi-access=free| pmid=27701358}} Compared to P. henlei, P. leopoldi is deeper black above and its underparts are mostly brownish-dusky (large white center to underparts of P. henlei).{{citation| author=Ramos, H.A.C. | date=May 2017 | title=Commercial species of freshwater stingrays in Brazil | publisher=Department of Sustainable Use of Biodiversity and Forests, Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources and Ministry of the Environment | pages=1–33 }} Compared to P. albimaculata, P. leopoldi has fewer and larger yellowish-white spots above.
The River stingray is a venomous stingray that contains venom localized at its dentine spine in its tail.{{Cite journal|last1=Kirchhoff|first1=Kim N.|last2=Klingelhöfer|first2=Ines|last3=Dahse|first3=Hans-Martin|last4=Morlock|first4=Gertrud|last5=Wilke|first5=Thomas|date=December 2014|title=Maturity-related changes in venom toxicity of the freshwater stingray Potamotrygon leopoldi|journal=Toxicon|volume=92|pages=97–101|doi=10.1016/j.toxicon.2014.10.011|pmid=25449099}} While the ray's venom composition does not change with maturation, the venom toxicity decreases as rays get older. On the other hand, rays' jaw shape, stiffness, and mineralization are strengthened with age, which allows mature rays the ability to consume hard-shelled invertebrates.{{Cite journal|last1=Rutledge|first1=Kelsi M.|last2=Summers|first2=Adam P.|last3=Kolmann|first3=Matthew A.|date=June 2019|title=Killing them softly: Ontogeny of jaw mechanics and stiffness in mollusk‐feeding freshwater stingrays|journal=Journal of Morphology|volume=280|issue=6|pages=796–808|doi=10.1002/jmor.20984|pmid=30950541|issn=0362-2525|doi-access=|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/332243345|s2cid=96436321}} These changes in traits with maturation reflect the different pressures rays experience in terms of functions such as feeding and avoiding predation during different maturity stages.
References
{{Reflist}}
- {{Commons category-inline|Potamotrygon leopoldi}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q2431915}}
Category:Freshwater stingrays of Brazil
Category:Endemic fish of Brazil
Category:Taxa named by Mariano N. Castex
Category:Taxa named by Hugo P. Castello
Category:Fish described in 1970
Category:Articles containing video clips
Category:Taxonomy articles created by Polbot
{{batoid-stub}}