Ocellate river stingray

Ocellate river stingray
Ocellate river stingray, Potamotrygon motoro
Conservation status
Data Deficient  (IUCN 2.3)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Chondrichthyes
Subclass:	Elasmobranchii
Order:	Myliobatiformes
Family:	Potamotrygonidae
Genus:	Potamotrygon
Species:	P. motoro
Binomial name
Potamotrygon motoro (J. P. Müller & Henle, 1841)

The ocellate river stingray (Potamotrygon motoro), also known as the peacock-eye stingray, is a potamodromous freshwater ray native to the basins of the Uruguay, Paraná, Orinoco, and Amazon Rivers.

Dark-colored P. motoro swimming at the New England Aquarium.

It is known to grow up to 1 m (3 ft.) TL and 15 kg (33 lb.).^[2] Its disk is roughly circular in shape, and its eyes are raised from the dorsal surface. The dorsal coloration is beige or brown, with numerous light orange spots with dark rings. The arrangements of these spots can vary from fish to fish.

Ocellate river stingrays are sometimes kept in captivity, with requirements similar to other members of Potamotrygon.^[3] It is one of the most common species of Potamotrygon in the aquarium.

References

1. Drioli, M. & Chiaramonte, G. (1994). "Potamotrygon motoro". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2006. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 16 October 2006.
2. Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2007). "Potamotrygon motoro" in FishBase. Mar 2007 version.
3. Dawes, John (2001). Complete Encyclopedia of the Freshwater Aquarium. New York: Firefly Books Ltd. ISBN 1-55297-544-4.

• "Potamotrygon motoro". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 16 October 2006.