Gymnuridae
The butterfly rays, belonging to the genus Gymnura and the family Gymnuridae, are marine species prevalent in warm oceans globally and are occasionally found in estuarine environments. Characterized by a flattened body with an extensive disc formed by the pectoral fins that converge at the head, these rays possess a notably short, thread-like tail and can reach a width of up to 4 meters (13 feet).
In the classification by McEachran et al. (1996), butterfly rays are placed in the subfamily Gymnurinae of the family Dasyatidae. However, this analysis aligns with FishBase and ITIS, recognizing them as a separate family. The genus currently comprises 12 distinct species, while others are regarded as synonyms:
- Gymnura altavela (Linnaeus, 1758) – Spiny butterfly ray
- Gymnura australis (E. P. Ramsay & Ogilby, 1886) – 🇦🇺 Australian butterfly ray
- Gymnura crebripunctata (W. K. H. Peters, 1869) – Longsnout butterfly ray
- Gymnura japonica (Temminck & Schlegel, 1850) – 🇯🇵 Japanese butterfly ray
- Gymnura lessae (Yokota & Carvalho, 2017) – Butterfly ray
- Gymnura marmorata (J. G. Cooper, 1864) – 🇺🇸 California butterfly ray
- Gymnura micrura (Bloch & J. G. Schneider, 1801) – Smooth butterfly ray
- Gymnura natalensis (Gilchrist & W. W. Thompson, 1911) – Backwater butterfly ray
- Gymnura poecilura (G. Shaw, 1804) – Longtail butterfly ray
- Gymnura sereti (Yokota & Carvalho, 2017) – Butterfly ray
- Gymnura tentaculata (J. P. Müller & Henle, 1841) – Tentacled butterfly ray
- Gymnura zonura (Bleeker, 1852) – Zonetail butterfly ray
These species primarily feed on fish, crustaceans, and molluscs, demonstrating a diverse diet within their marine habitats.
