Lutz's Stingray

Fascinating facts about the Lutz's Stingray

• Scientists described a new stingray in 2020, naming it Lutz's stingray.
• A striking 16 females are found for every single male, an imbalance that makes the species one of the most gender-skewed among rays. Such a bias could influence breeding dynamics and future population stability.
• All known records come from shallow waters off Brazil’s coastline.
• The ray appears frequently as bycatch in multiple fisheries, and researchers have studied its prevalence.

About the Lutz's Stingray

First described in 2020, Lutz's stingray (Hypanus berthalutzae) occurs in shallow coastal waters off Brazil and has a kite-shaped disc that is slightly wider than long, with relatively large, protruding eyes and small spiracles directly behind. The largest known specimen measured 68 cm (27 in) across, most known specimens are female, and the species shows a 16:1 female-to-male ratio. It is frequently caught as bycatch, and recent studies have been performed to determine its prevalence.

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