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✎ Natalia Guzmán

✎ Natalia Guzmán

✎ Diego Aguilera

Magdalena River Stingray
Potamotrygon magdalenaeAndean region

  • Generalities
  • Morpho-functionality
  • Lifecycle
  • Distribution

RECORRIDO VIRTUAL POR LA BIODIVERSIDAD DE COLOMBIA
Museo de Historia Natural
Universidad Nacional de Colombia

Magdalena River Stingray
Potamotrygon magdalenae

It is known as the Magdalena ray. They reach sexual maturity when measuring 25 cm in length. They are viviparous, meaning that the embryos develop within the mother. They are detritivores although they occasionally prey on larvae of aquatic invertebrates, fish, crabs and tadpoles. They are found in murky waters with sandy, muddy and shallow substrates with slow current.

Conservation status

Extinct

Extinct in the Wild

Critically Endangered

Endangered

Vulnerable

Near Threatened

Least Concern

Not Evaluated

Data Deficient

Morpho-functionality

Breathing

It does not have lungs and to breathe its gills are connected to vascular arches thus carrying out the gas exchange in its blood.

Fins

In the male, the pelvic fins are modified with tweezers to be able to fertilize the female.

Tail

The spine on its tail is serrated and functions as a defense structure.

Lifecycle

Like many other cartilaginous fish this species is viviparous, a single embryo develops in each uterus. The reproductive peak occurs between January and March, which is when the highest proportion of mature females has been reported. Pregnant females have been found around the months of November, April and May. Fecundity in these stripes is one to three embryos. At birth, the young are 8.7 to 9.5 cm tall. Sexual maturity is reached more or less between 16.4 and 24 cm for females and between 16 and 20.2 cm for males. The pattern of spots in juveniles is usually more noticeable than in adults.

Magdalena River Stingray

Distribution

It is located in the Caribbean and Magdalena-Cauca basins, reaching the department of Huila. It is usual to find it in the main course of the Magdalena and Atrato rivers, as well as in streams and swamps. It has benthic habits and feeds on mollusks, tadpoles, fish, insects, other arthropods and detritus, preferring cloudy waters, sandy bottoms and mud.

Distribution area