| Kittipong's stingray | ||||||||||||||
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| Himantura kittipongi Roberts, 2005 |
Himantura kittipong is a species of freshwater stingray that was initially found by Thai fish expert Kittipong Jaruthanin in Mae Klong River in Kanchanaburi Province, Thailand in 2004. It was confirmed to be a new species by two World Wide Fund for Nature officials, WWF Thailand senior freshwater biologist Chavalit Vidthayanon and Smithsonian research associate Tyson Roberts, on April 12, 2006. The 24-inch wide kittipong lives at the bottom of rivers. It is part of the Dasyatidae family of stingrays. The stingray has 12 to 14 rows of teeth on its lower jaw which is more than any other species of Thai freshwater stingray. The WWF released a statement calling for conservation efforts "for the survival of this new stingray and many other Thai fish fauna as well as for sustainable management of their fish resources and habitats. It's not just to save the stingray but the habitat as it will serve the local community for fish, water and other ecosystem services." It has a dark, yellowish-brown back that separates it from other related stingrays. The taxonomic name kittipongi was chosen to honor its original discover Kittipong Jaruthanin.
External links
- New ray discovered in Kanchanaburi (The Nation)
- History Bulletin of Siam Society, 2005 53 (1): 123-132
