The leopard round stingray (Urobatis pardalis) or Central American round stingray and Costa Rican round stingray is a small species of round ray found in shallow waters off the coast from Costa Rica to Colombia in the eastern Pacific Ocean.
The leopard round stingray has a circular body disc with a dorsum that lacks tubercles. Its dorsum also possesses a grayish or tan base coloration, dusky patches that usually form a honeycomb pattern, and small, and dark spots that vary in size. The ray's thick tail (which is shorter than its disc) is armed with a venomoustail spine.[2] The average proportions for an adult ray is around 38 cm (15.0 in) or 25 cm (9.8 in) in total length and the maximum size is around 30 cm (11.8 in) in width and 46 cm (18.1 in) in total length with a weight of around 800 g (1.8 lb). At birth, they are around 12 cm (4.7 in) in total length and at Sexual maturity, around 18 cm (7.1 in) in width and 28 cm (11.0 in) in total length.[3]
Biology and ecologyedit
A Leopard round stingray (Urobatis pardalis) swimming in Costa Rica.
This abundant, benthopelagic ray is probably nocturnal and is observed staying stationary during the day on reefs. It is also ovoviviparous and takes 2 to 3 years to reach Sexual maturity, growing at a rate of about 2.8 cm (1.1 in) in width and 4.8 cm (1.9 in) in total length a year. The ray's diet consists of shrimp, small crabs and fish, and worms and it has a lifespan of 8 to 12 years.[1][2][3]
The leopard round stingray is fairly harmless, yet it does pose danger to humans given its venomous tail spine. Despite this, they make their way into the aquarium trade. They are probably quite hardy in captivity although a single ray requires a minimum 200-gallon aquarium with abundant swimming room and heavy filtration.[3][4] Divers are able to easily approach them in the wild if they stay calm and move slowly. The leopard round stingray may be misidentified as the Round stingray (Urobatis halleri) which has smaller spots that are generally the same size. It could potentially be more plentiful than the leopard round stingray as well.[2] The Cortez round stingray (Urobatis maculatus) may also be misidentified as the leopard round stingray.[5]
^Michael, Scott (2001). Aquarium Sharks & Rays. Neptune City, NJ: T.F.H Publications, Inc.
^Leopard Round Stingray (Urobatis pardalis) [7]. In: A Community for Naturalists · iNaturalist.org [8]
External linksedit
Photos of Leopard round stingray on Sealife Collection
April 13, 2024
leopard, round, stingray, leopard, round, stingray, urobatis, pardalis, central, american, round, stingray, costa, rican, round, stingray, small, species, round, found, shallow, waters, coast, from, costa, rica, colombia, eastern, pacific, ocean, scientific, c. The leopard round stingray Urobatis pardalis or Central American round stingray and Costa Rican round stingray is a small species of round ray found in shallow waters off the coast from Costa Rica to Colombia in the eastern Pacific Ocean Leopard round stingrayScientific classificationDomain EukaryotaKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordataClass ChondrichthyesSubclass ElasmobranchiiSuperorder BatoideaOrder MyliobatiformesFamily UrotrygonidaeGenus UrobatisSpecies U pardalisBinomial nameUrobatis pardalisDel Moral Flores Angulo M I Bussing amp W A Bussing 2015Wikimedia Commons has media related to Urobatis pardalis Contents 1 Taxonomy 2 Distribution and habitat 3 Description 4 Biology and ecology 5 Relationship to humans 6 References 7 External linksTaxonomy editThe species name pardalis is from the leopard round stingray s dorsal patterning which resembles that of a leopard 1 Distribution and habitat editThis species is endemic to the Tropical Eastern Pacific from Costa Rica to Colombia They can be observed from the intertidal zone to a depth of around 20 m 65 6 ft inhabiting reefs seagrass meadows and sandy areas on continental shelves 2 3 Description editThe leopard round stingray has a circular body disc with a dorsum that lacks tubercles Its dorsum also possesses a grayish or tan base coloration dusky patches that usually form a honeycomb pattern and small and dark spots that vary in size The ray s thick tail which is shorter than its disc is armed with a venomous tail spine 2 The average proportions for an adult ray is around 38 cm 15 0 in or 25 cm 9 8 in in total length and the maximum size is around 30 cm 11 8 in in width and 46 cm 18 1 in in total length with a weight of around 800 g 1 8 lb At birth they are around 12 cm 4 7 in in total length and at Sexual maturity around 18 cm 7 1 in in width and 28 cm 11 0 in in total length 3 Biology and ecology edit nbsp A Leopard round stingray Urobatis pardalis swimming in Costa Rica This abundant benthopelagic ray is probably nocturnal and is observed staying stationary during the day on reefs It is also ovoviviparous and takes 2 to 3 years to reach Sexual maturity growing at a rate of about 2 8 cm 1 1 in in width and 4 8 cm 1 9 in in total length a year The ray s diet consists of shrimp small crabs and fish and worms and it has a lifespan of 8 to 12 years 1 2 3 Relationship to humans edit nbsp A Leopard round stingray Urobatis pardalis resting under a layer of sand at the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium in Tacoma Washington The leopard round stingray is fairly harmless yet it does pose danger to humans given its venomous tail spine Despite this they make their way into the aquarium trade They are probably quite hardy in captivity although a single ray requires a minimum 200 gallon aquarium with abundant swimming room and heavy filtration 3 4 Divers are able to easily approach them in the wild if they stay calm and move slowly The leopard round stingray may be misidentified as the Round stingray Urobatis halleri which has smaller spots that are generally the same size It could potentially be more plentiful than the leopard round stingray as well 2 The Cortez round stingray Urobatis maculatus may also be misidentified as the leopard round stingray 5 References edit a b Urobatis pardalis 1 In Fishbase 2 a b c d Leopard Round Stingray Urobatis pardalis 3 In Elasmodiver 4 a b c d 2017 Leopard Round Stingray Profile tapatalk com 5 In Shark amp Ray Central 6 Michael Scott 2001 Aquarium Sharks amp Rays Neptune City NJ T F H Publications Inc Leopard Round Stingray Urobatis pardalis 7 In A Community for Naturalists iNaturalist org 8 External links editPhotos of Leopard round stingray on Sealife Collection Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Leopard round stingray amp oldid 1176126715, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
