Two new types of freshwater stingrays have been discovered the Amazon.
Both stingrays have been nick-named “pancake” stingrays – cause they pancakes with noses.
Biologists say the two “pancake” species belong to the first new stingray genus found in the Amazon region in more than two decades.
The team’s work in the Upper Amazon confirmed the new genus, Heliotrygon, and the two new species, Heliotrygon gomesi and Heliotrygon rosai (and you can learn how to pronounce that yourself).
Besides their pancake-like appearance, both rays are big, have slits on their bellies and a tiny spine on their tails.
“The most important thing this discovery tells us is that there are quite likely to be other large fishes in the Amazon yet to be discovered and described,”
said one biologist. Adding,
“Our understanding of the biodiversity of this region is not complete by any stretch of the imagination.”
Photo Credit: Ken Jones
