MEKONG FRESHWATER STINGRAY (Dasyatis laosensis)

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Description: The Mekong freshwater stingray is one of the world's largest fish. It has a broad flattened body with winglike fins, which are adaptations to life on the bottom of the rivers it inhabits. The Mekong freshwater stingray only occurs in two river systems, the Mekong and Chao Phraya, and populations are declining rapidly. It is heavily fished and affected by habitat degradation on a massive scale.

IUCN Status: Endangered
Major Threats: Overfishing and habitat degradation
Habitat: Sandy substrate in large rivers
Location: Mekong and Chao Phraya river systems
Diet: Bottom-dwelling invertebrates