plain stingray with a sharp pointed snout is sometimes seen on our
Northern shores, usually on muddy shores. It is more active at night
and at high tide. Small ones are sometimes also seen trapped in pools
in the seagrass meadows of Chek Jawa at low tide.
Features: Grows to about 25cm in diameter, those seen
about 15-20cm. Body generally oval with a pointed snout. Body colour
plain beige or pinkish without any markings. Tail long and whip-like
without markings. It does not have a skin fold on the tail. The female
has a shorter tail with a bulbous end. It has 4-6 enlarged spear-like
spines on the tail which can cause a painful wound by injecting a
Sometimes mistaken for a horseshoe
crab and visa versa. In murky waters, these two different animals
do have a similar profile, both being round and flat with a long tail.
Human uses: It is harvested commercially
as a food fish. According to FishBase:
It is caught in large quantities as by-catch of bottom trawl and trammel
Pulau Sekudu, May 04
Changi, Jul 11
whiprays on Singapore shores
- Lim, S.,
P. Ng, L. Tan, & W. Y. Chin, 1994. Rhythm of the Sea: The Life
and Times of Labrador Beach. Division of Biology, School of
Science, Nanyang Technological University & Department of Zoology,
the National University of Singapore. 160 pp.