The Chilean round stingray (Urobatis marmoratus) is an enigmatic species of round ray, belonging to the family Urolophidae. Virtually nothing is known about this animal, as it is only known from a single specimen described by German-Chilean naturalist Rodolfo Amando Philippi in 1893.
The holotype measured 38.5 cm in length and was collected off the coast of Quintero, Chile. It featured the nearly circular pectoral fin disc typical of round rays, with straight anterior margins. The distance between the eyes was more than two-thirds the distance from the eyes to the tip of the snout. The body was notably thick for a ray and entirely smooth, lacking dermal denticles. The tail was shorter than the length of the disc. Its coloration was particularly striking: numerous small white spots scattered over a dark background.
Due to the lack of additional specimens and the fact that only illustrations of the original remain, its existence has been the subject of speculation. The species is presumed to be benthic in nature. However, given the total absence of further sightings or captures, several possibilities have been proposed: the specimen may have been a misidentification of an existing species, a representative of a Lazarus taxon (a species believed extinct but later rediscovered), an extinct species, or even the result of a hoax.
Referencias:[]
- Lamilla, J.G. (Nov 2005). "Guía para el reconocimiento de: tiburones, rayas y quimeras de Chile". Oceania. 17: 1–80.