The ''scaly whipray'' or Bengal whipray,
(''Brevitrygon imbricata'') is a
species of
stingray
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 ( ...
in the
family Dasyatidae, found in the tropical
Indo-West Pacific oceans from the
Red Sea and
Mauritius to
Indonesia.
Its width is up to , and it may reach in total length.
The scaly whipray is found in inshore coastal waters, typically in
estuarine
An estuary is a partially enclosed coastal body of brackish water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea. Estuaries form a transition zone between river environments and maritime environment ...
habitats.
Some uncertainty exists over the details of its habitat preference and full range due to confusion with the very similar ''
Brevitrygon walga'',
and reports from
Tonlé Sap ("Great Lake") possibly refer to ''
Hemitrygon laosensis''.
The disc width of the scaly whipray is equal to its disc length, and the tail is shorter than the body. The ventral surface of the disc is entirely white. Young and adults feed on
benthic
The benthic zone is the ecological region at the lowest level of a body of water such as an ocean, lake, or stream, including the sediment surface and some sub-surface layers. The name comes from ancient Greek, βένθος (bénthos), meaning "t ...
invertebrates, and juveniles may be present in
mangroves.
They migrate between saltwater and freshwater, though not for the purpose of breeding. They do not migrate more than .
Reproduction is
ovoviviparous.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:whipray, scaly
scaly whipray
scaly whipray