Issue
Distribution will be corrected.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; brackish; demersal. Tropical
Africa: rivers and lakes in western Africa (Ref. 81259, 81625).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 120 cm WD male/unsexed; (Ref. 81259)
Vertebrae: 108 - 122. Diagnosis: Dasyatis ukpam is a very large and thick-bodied freshwater dasyatid (Ref. 26277). Entire dorsal surface of disc covered with stout-spined denticles, smooth in newborn (Ref. 26277). Sting greatly reduced in size or absent (Ref. 26277).
Benthic species mostly in lakes and rives, found more than 240 km upstream from the sea (possibly also coastal). The life history and present status of populations in West Africa is unknown. Type specimens were born after capture of the mother; few specimens exist (Ref. 114953). Ovoviviparous (Ref. 50449).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Exhibit ovoviparity (aplacental viviparity), with embryos feeding initially on yolk, then receiving additional nourishment from the mother by indirect absorption of uterine fluid enriched with mucus, fat or protein through specialised structures (Ref. 50449). Distinct pairing with embrace (Ref. 205).
Compagno, L.J.V., 1999. Checklist of living elasmobranchs. p. 471-498. In W.C. Hamlett (ed.) Sharks, skates, and rays: the biology of elasmobranch fishes. Johns Hopkins University Press, Maryland. (Ref. 35766)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: of no interest
Tools
Special reports
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Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5156 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01023 (0.00486 - 0.02155), b=3.06 (2.87 - 3.25), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.7 ±0.3 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Very Low, minimum population doubling time more than 14 years (Assuming Fec<10).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Very high vulnerability (90 of 100).
Nutrients (Ref.
124155): Calcium = 31.2 [7.6, 142.6] mg/100g; Iron = 0.748 [0.186, 1.957] mg/100g; Protein = 21.9 [19.1, 25.0] %; Omega3 = 0.173 [0.049, 0.510] g/100g; Selenium = 45 [12, 123] μg/100g; VitaminA = 11.6 [5.2, 25.7] μg/100g; Zinc = 1.02 [0.50, 1.85] mg/100g (wet weight);
