Hypanus say
No common name
Collection Details
Specimens
Photos
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Records
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Chondrichthyes (Cartilaginous Fishes)
Myliobatiformes (Stingrays)
Dasyatidae (Whiptail Stingrays)
Hypanus
Hypanus say
Description
This species account was compiled from
FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2025. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. www.fishbase.org, version 04/2025.)
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Characters
Body shape: other. Moderate size, with a short blunt snout. Disk has rounded corners, few tubercles and spines along midline (Ref. 26938). Well developed fold on the upper surface and lower surface of tail. Yellowish or light brown above. Lower surface whitish or pure white (Ref. 6902).
Distribution
Western Atlantic: New Jersey (rarely in Massachusetts), USA and northern Gulf of Mexico to Argentina; widespread in the West Indies. Throughout Antilles (Ref. 26938).
Habitat Associations
Brackish, marine. demersal. depth range 1-10 m. Found in: estuaries.
Biology
Inhabits coastal waters (Ref. 7251). Generally found near shore, to depths of 10 m. Both adults and juveniles frequent estuaries and surf zones (Ref. 27549). Bottom feeder with fish, clams, worms and shrimps. It causes a number of injuries to bathers and waders (Ref. 26938). Ovoviviparous (Ref. 50449). Litters of 2-4 pups; gestation 10-11 months, including a period of embryonic diapause (Ref. 114953).
Max length: 104.0 cm WD.
Reproductive mode: dioecism; fertilization: internal (oviduct); bearers (internal live bearers). Exhibit ovoviparity (aplacental viviparity), with embryos feeding initially on yolk, then receiving additional nourishment from the mother by indirect absorption of uterine fluid enriched with mucus, fat or protein through specialised structures (Ref. 50449). Distinct pairing with embrace (Ref. 205).
IUCN Red List Status: Near Threatened (NT), assessed 2019-06-21. Resilience: Low (Assuming fecundity<100).
Commercial or Environmental Importance
gamefish.
References
Breder, C.M. and D.E. Rosen (1966) Modes of reproduction in fishes. T.F.H. Publications, Neptune City, New Jersey. 941 p.
Bigelow, H.B. and W.C. Schroeder (1953) Sawfishes, guitarfishes, skates and rays. p. 1-514. In J. Tee-Van et al. (eds.) Fishes of the western North Atlantic. Part two. New Haven, Sears Found. Mar. Res., Yale Univ.
Robins, C.R. and G.C. Ray (1986) A field guide to Atlantic coast fishes of North America. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, U.S.A. 354 p.
Smith, C.L. (1997) National Audubon Society field guide to tropical marine fishes of the Caribbean, the Gulf of Mexico, Florida, the Bahamas, and Bermuda. Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., New York. 720 p.
Compagno, L.J.V. (1999) Checklist of living elasmobranchs. p. 471-498. In W.C. Hamlett (ed.) Sharks, skates, and rays: the biology of elasmobranch fishes. Johns Hopkins University Press, Maryland.
Bowman, R.E., C.E. Stillwell, W.L. Michaels and M.D. Grosslein (2000) Food of northwest Atlantic fishes and two common species of squid. NOAA Tech. Memo. NMFS-NE 155, 138 p.
Wigley, S.E., H.M. McBride and N.J. McHugh (2003) Length-weight relationships for 74 fish species collected during NEFSC research vessel bottom trawl surveys, 1992-99. NOAA Tech. Memo. NMFS-NE-171. 26 p.
Florida Museum of Natural History (2005) Biological profiles: bluntnose stingray. Retrieved on 26 August 2005, from www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/Gallery/Descript/BluntnoseStingray/BluntnoseStingray.html. Ichthyology at the Florida Museum of Natural History: Education-Biological Profiles. FLMNH, University of Florida.
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