About
The longnose marbled whipray is an extremely rare species found in the Indo-Malay Archipelago and is only known from five specimens that are part of museum collections.
Due to the rarity of this elusive whipray species, virtually nothing is known about its biology or the threats facing it, although the threats are assumed to be similar to other freshwater species in Southeast Asia. Parts of Southeast Asia, where this species is found, are subjected to habitat degradation from deforestation, river engineering projects and urban development which can cause pollution, from sewage, siltation and industrial waste. Furthermore, intensive fisheries operate in the area and this ray is sometimes taken as bycatch.
There are currently no conservation actions in place. The Thai government started a captive breeding programme in the 1990s to breed this species and other freshwater stingrays but the project ended in 1996.
- Order: Myliobatiformes
- Family: Dasyatidae
- Population: Unknown
- Trend: unknown
- Size: Approx. 37cm (?)
- Depth Range (m): Demersal (?)
EDGE Score
Distribution
The longnose marbled whipray is found in the Mekong River in Cambodia, the lower Nan and Chao Phraya rivers in Thailand and the Mahakam River in Kalimantan. Due to its rarity, it might inhabit other river systems.
Habitat and Ecology
Virtually nothing is known about the longnose marbled whipray’s ecology. It is a freshwater species but it may also be found in estuaries. It is ovoviviparous with embryos being nourished by yolk and subsequently uterine secretions before being born as live young.