Biology:Myliobatiformes
Myliobatiformes (/mɪliˈɒbətɪfɔːrmiːz/), commonly known as stingrays, are one of the four orders of batoids, cartilaginous fishes related to sharks.[1][2] They are members of the subclass elasmobranchs.[3] They were formerly included in the order Rajiformes, but more recent phylogenetic studies have shown the Myliobatiformes to be a monophyletic group, and its more derived members evolved their highly flattened shapes independently of the skates.[4][5]
Characteristics
Myliobatiformes share physical characteristics of a long, thin tail with serrated spines[6] and a pancake-like body.[7] They share many characteristics with the batoid order Rajiformes, in which they were previously included.[7] The key difference of the orders is the Myliobatiformes' single-lobed pelvic fin, lack of a mid-tail spine, and general lack of a dorsal fin.[7] Myliobatiformes also possess stinging spines along the tail's base, and generally possess large pectoral fins that are completely fused (except Myliobatidae) to the head.[8] They can camouflage themselves from predators using their flat, disk-shaped bodies to lie against the seafloor.[7]
Classification
Myliobatiformes is classified as follows in Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes:[9]
- Family Zanobatidae Fowler. 1934 (panrays)
Suborder Myliobatoidei Compagno, 1973
- Family Hexatrygonidae Heemstra & M. M. Smith, 1980 (sixgill stingrays)
- Family Dasyatidae D. S. Jordan & Gilbert, 1879 (whiptail stingrays)
- Subfamily Dasyatinae D. S. Jordan & Gilbert, 1879 (stingrays)
- Subfamily Neotrygoninae Castelnau, 1873 (shortsnout stingrays)
- Subfamily Urogymninae Gray, 1851 (whiprays)
- Subfamily Hypolophinae Stromer, 1910 (cowtail stingrays)
- Family Potamotrygonidae Garman, 1877 (neotropical stingrays)
- Subfamily Styracurinae Carvalho, Loboda & da Silva 2016 (whiptail stingrays)
- Subfamily Potamotrygoninae Garman 1877 (river stingrays)
- Family Urotrygonidae McEachran, Dunn & Miyake, 1996 (American round stingrays)
- Family Gymnuridae Fowler, 1934 (butterfly rays)
- Family Plesiobatidae K. Nishida, 1990 (deepwater stingrays or giant stingarees)
- Family Urolophidae J. P. Müller & Henle 1841 (round stingrays or stingarees)
- Family Aetobatidae Agassiz, 1858 (pelagic eagle rays)
- Family Myliobatidae Bonaparte 1835 (eagle rays)
- Family Rhinopteridae D. S, Jordan & Evermann, 1896 (cownose rays)
- Family Mobulidae Gill, 1893 (mantas or devil rays)
The family Aetobatidae is recognised by some authorities. It contains the genus Aetobatus, which is otherwise part of Myliobatidae.[10]
The families Myliobatidae and †Rhombodontidae are sometimes grouped in their own superfamily, Myliobatoidea.[11]
Cladogram from Rays of the World (2016):[12]
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References
- ↑ Froese, R.; Pauly, D.. "Myliobatiformes". http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=196069.
- ↑ "Order Summary for Myliobatiformes". http://www.fishbase.org/summary/OrdersSummary.php?order=Myliobatiformes.
- ↑ "ITIS - Report: Myliobatiformes". https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=649685#null.
- ↑ Nelson, J.S. (2006). Fishes of the World (fourth ed.). John Wiley. pp. 69–82. ISBN 0-471-25031-7.
- ↑ Martin, R. Aidan. "Myliobatiformes: Stingrays". http://www.elasmo-research.org/education/shark_profiles/myliobatiformes.htm.
- ↑ Stepanek, Rica (2011). A review of the evolution of potamotrygonid freshwater stingrays (Chondrichthyes, Myliobatiformes). Unknown Publisher.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 "Stingrays: Species" (in en-US). https://www.subdiversion.es/en/species/vertebrates/elasmobranchs/stingrays/#:~:text=Among%20the%20differences%20we%20find,usually%20relatively%20thin%20and%20elongated..
- ↑ Ebert, David A.; Bigman, Jennifer S.; Lawson, Julia M. (2017-01-01), Larson, Shawn E.; Lowry, Dayv, eds., "Chapter Two - Biodiversity, Life History, and Conservation of Northeastern Pacific Chondrichthyans", Advances in Marine Biology, Northeast Pacific Shark Biology, Research and Conservation Part A (Academic Press) 77: 9–78, doi:10.1016/bs.amb.2017.07.001, PMID 28882216, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0065288117300068, retrieved 2025-03-28
- ↑ "Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes Classification". Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. https://www.calacademy.org/scientists/catalog-of-fishes-classification/.
- ↑ White, William T.; Naylor, Gavin J.P. (2016). "Resurrection of the family Aetobatidae (Myliobatiformes) for the pelagic eagle rays, genus Aetobatus". Zootaxa 4139 (3): 435–438. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4139.3.10. ISSN 1175-5334. PMID 27470816.
- ↑ Hoganson, John; Erickson, J. Mark; Holland, F. D. (2019). "Chondrichthyan and osteichthyan paleofaunas of the Cretaceous (late Maastrichtian) Fox Hills Formation of North Dakota, USA: paleoecology, paleogeography, and extinction. Bulletins of American Paleontology, No. 398: 1–94.". Bulletins of American Paleontology 398. doi:10.32857/bap.2019.398.
- ↑ Rays of the World. Clayton South, Victoria: CSIRO. 2016. ISBN 9781501705328. https://archive.org/details/raysofworld0000unse/page/n7/mode/2up. Retrieved 8 November 2025.
Template:Chondrichthyes Wikidata ☰ Q796580 entry
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