Javanese cownose ray  (Rhinoptera javanica)

Description

Cownose rays (Rhinoptera) have earned their common name for their unusual-looking heads, which feature a double-lobed snout and indented forehead (2). As with most rays, the body is flattened, with the pectoral fins broadly expanded and fused with the head and trunk to form a disc (3). This smooth-skinned species is characterised by a kite-shaped body-disc, which is brown on the upper surface and white below (2) (3). The long, thin, whip-like tails of cownose rays (Rhinoptera) are distinctly demarcated from the body and armed with one or more stings.

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