Description

Vertebrae: 120 - 131. Diagnosis: A moderately large and thin-bodied freshwater dasyatid; disc flatter than in any other West African dasyatid, its depth only 8.7-11.0% of disc width vs. 11.0% or more in other species; denticles on dorsal surface of disc highly variable, sometimes absent, always restricted to central portion; pearl spine absent or represented by 2-3 low denticles (Ref. 26277). It is most similar to the small marine species Dasyatis margaritella and the larger marine species Dasyatis margarita, both of which have well-developed pearl spines and shorter snouts (Ref. 26277).

Common Names

No common names available.

Taxonomic Hierarchy

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Elasmobranchii

Order: Myliobatiformes

Family: Dasyatidae

Genus: Fontitrygon

Species: Fontitrygon garouaensis (Stauch & Blanc, 1962)

Climate Zone

Location

Biology

Dasyatis garouaensis is restricted to fresh waters (Ref. 81625). Its conservation status is uncertain, given its restricted distribution in a region with known habitat degradation; this species has apparently become less common after the construction of a dam on the Benue River (Ref. 81625). Ovoviviparous (Ref. 50449).

Habitat

demersal