Common
Names:
Chupare stingray, Caribbean stingray, Caribbean whiptail stingray, Caribbean
whipray.
Latin
Name:
Himantura schmardae. Synonyms:
Himantura schmarde, Trygon schmardae.
Family:
Dasyatidae
Identification:
Disc oval (almost round) with
flattened anterior margin.
Dorsum covered in small but noticeable tubercles (enlarged dermal denticles).
Dorsal coloration mid to dark brown or olive brown. Disc darkens towards margin.
Ventrum yellowish or creamy white. One or two spines on tail. Tail has no
finfolds. 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
