Smooth Butterfly Ray [Gymnura micrura]
Description
The Smooth Butterfly Ray, scientifically known as Gymnura micrura, is a species of ray in the family Gymnuridae. It is found in the western Atlantic Ocean from Massachusetts to southern Brazil, including the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea. As a benthic species, it is typically found in shallow coastal waters over sandy or muddy bottoms. Its distinguishing features include a large, flat, diamond-shaped pectoral fin disk that is much wider than long, a small, whip-like tail without a spine, and a smooth skin without dermal denticles.
Taxonomy
| Phylum |
Chordates
Chordata
|
|---|---|
| Class |
Cartilaginous Fish
Chondrichthyes
|
| Order |
Stingrays
Myliobatiformes
|
| Family |
Butterfly Rays
Gymnuridae
|
| Genus |
Smooth Butterfly Ray
Gymnura
|