ATLANTIC CHUPARE STINGRAY

Chupare stingray or Caribbean whiptail stingray

Photographs copyright Andy Murch

View all available Atlantic Chupare Stingray Pictures in the Shark Picture Database

Common Names: Atlantic Chupare stingray, Caribbean stingray, Caribbean whiptail stingray, Caribbean whipray.

Accepted Scientific Name: Styacura schmardae.

Synonyms: Himantura schmardae, Himantura schmarde, Trygon schmardae.

Family: Potamotrygonidae - Neotropical Stingrays.

Identification: Disc oval (almost round) with flattened anterior margin. Dorsum covered in small but noticeable tubercles (enlarged dermal denticles). Dorsal coloration grey or dark/olive brown. Disc darkens towards margin. Ventrum yellowish or creamy white. One or two spines on tail. Tail has no fin-folds. When in tact, tail is approximately twice body length.

Size: Max disc width 1.2m. Total recorded length 2m.

Habitat: Reported from sandy bottoms sometimes adjacent to reefs. However, (as these images indicate) the chupare stingray also inhabits mangrove and muddy lagoons.

Abundance and distribution: Western tropical Atlantic from Gulf of Campeche to Suriname and northern Brazil. The Caribbean whiptail stingray is reportedly common around Cuba.

Behavior: Photographed specimens were found foraging for food at the edge of the mangrove during the day. Other individuals were startled out of their resting places under the silt and algae. implying that Chupare stingrays can be nocturnal or diurnal.

Reproduction: Ovoviviparous.

IUCN Red List Status: Insufficient data available for an accurate assessment.

Similar species: The chupare stingray is easily distinguished from other dasyatid rays by its rounded disc and tail with no finfolds. The southern stingray and Atlantic stingray have distinctly romboid (kite shaped) discs.

The chupare stingray is the only ray in the genus Himantura in the Caribbean.

Reaction to divers: Caribbean whiptail stingrays are extremely skittish. They are very difficult to approach while on scuba or while snorkeling.

Diving logistics: It is possible to snorkel with chupare stingrays in Oyster Bed Lagoon which is adjacent to Deep Blue Resort in Utila, Honduras.

The chupare stingray has also been photographed in Belize and is reportedly common off the coast of Cuba.

Photographs: Oyster Bed Lagoon, Utila, Honduras. These images were obtained through the cooperation and support of Steve Fox - Owner of Deep Blue Resort, Utila.

Other diving locations submitted by readers:

Further reading:

Reef Sharks and Rays of the World - Scott Michael

Fishbase.org

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