Potamotrygon falkneri

Potamotrygon falkneri
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Chondrichthyes
Subclass: Elasmobranchii
Order: Myliobatiformes
Family: Potamotrygonidae
Genus: Potamotrygon
Species: P. falkneri
Binomial name
Potamotrygon falkneri
Castex & Maciel, 1963

Potamotrygon falkneri is a species of river stingray in the family Potamotrygonidae, the type of the Potamotrygon genus. It is a freshwater stingray found in the Paraná River basin in South America. [1] Common names include: largespot river stingray and reticulated freshwater stingray.

Taxonomy

This species was originally described by ichthyologists Castex and Maciel in 1963. [2]

This species is an example of chromatic variation present in a single species, since the ends and intermediate color patterns are common, insufficient for taxonomic separation.

Etymology

The etymology of the term Potamotrygon derives from the Greek words potamos, which means 'river', and trygon which means 'sting ray'. [3]

Distribution

Native to the Rio Paraná and Rio Paraguay basins in Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina. [4]

Habitat

Habitats include sand banks, the shallows of major rivers and slow-moving tributaries with substrates of mud or sand. It also moves into areas of flooded forest during the annual wet season and can later be found in terrestrial lakes and ponds formed by the receding flood waters.

Behavior

As a defense, this fish is provided with one to three mineralized serrated stingers on the tail, which are covered by epidermal cells secreting venom. When these animals are dorsally touched, the stinger can be introduced into the aggressor by a whip reflex mechanism of the tail, causing severe mechanical injuries and inoculating the venom. Accidents in humans are frequent causing intense local pain, oedema and erythema. [5]

References

  1. ↑ "Potamotrygon falkneri (Largespot River Stingray, Reticulated Freshwater Stingray)".
  2. ↑ http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=943759
  3. ↑ http://www.fishbase.us/summary/Potamotrygon-falkneri.html
  4. ↑ http://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/potamotrygon-falkneri/
  5. ↑ http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0041010107002103

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