Stingrays are a group of sea
rays, which are
cartilaginous fish related to
sharks. They are classified in the suborder
Myliobatoidei of the order
Myliobatiformes and consist of eight families:
Hexatrygonidae (sixgill stingray),
Plesiobatidae (deepwater stingray),
Urolophidae (stingarees),
Urotrygonidae (round rays),
Dasyatidae (whiptail stingrays),
Potamotrygonidae (river stingrays),
Gymnuridae (butterfly rays), and
Myliobatidae (eagle rays).
Stingrays are common in coastal
tropical and
subtropical marine waters throughout the world. Some species, such as
Dasyatis thetidis, are found in warmer
temperateoceans, and others, such as
Plesiobatis daviesi, are found in the
deep ocean. The
river stingrays, and a number of
whiptail stingrays (such as the
Niger stingray), are restricted to
fresh water. Most myliobatoids are
demersal (inhabiting the next-to-lowest zone in the
water column), but some, such as the
pelagic stingray and the
eagle rays, are
pelagic.
There are about 220 known stingray species organized into 10 families and 29 genera. Stingray species are
progressively becoming threatened or vulnerable to
extinction, particularly as the consequence of
unregulated fishing. As of 2013, 45 species have been listed as
vulnerable or
endangered by the
IUCN. The status of some other species is poorly known, leading to their being listed as
data deficient.
( Go to the below sketchfab link and go to details for more Links on this model )
https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/sting-ray-088fef2d98ff4162abca6dfe0a13282f