| Hortle's whipray | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Chondrichthyes |
| Subclass: | Elasmobranchii |
| Order: | Myliobatiformes |
| Family: | Dasyatidae |
| Genus: | Pateobatis |
| Species: | P. hortlei
|
| Binomial name | |
| Pateobatis hortlei | |
The Hortle's whipray (Pateobatis hortlei) is a little-known species of stingray in the family Dasyatidae, occurring in shallow estuaries and mud flats off southern New Guinea. This species, growing to 71 cm (28 in) across, has a heart-shaped pectoral fin disc with a long, pointed snout and minute eyes. It has a wide dorsal band of dermal denticles extending from in front of the eyes to the tail, as well as scattered sharp denticles on the snout. The underside of the disc is a distinctive bright yellow in color, sometimes with darker markings around the nostrils, mouth, and gill slits. The Hortle's whipray is threatened by extensive seine fisheries and habitat degradation, leading the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to assess it as Near Threatened.
- ^ Rigby, C.L.; Derrick, D. (2021). "Pateobatis hortlei". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2021: e.T161598A124512513. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-2.RLTS.T161598A124512513.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.