Cimar Round Ray vs Common Seahorse

Urotrygon cimar compared with Hippocampus kuda

Key Differences

• Cimar Round Ray is Near Threatened while Common Seahorse is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Cimar Round Ray	Common Seahorse
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Elasmobranchii	Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fish)
Order	Myliobatiformes (Myliobatiformes)	Perciformes (Perch-like Fish)
Family	Urotrygonidae	Pomacentridae (Clownfish & Damselfish)
Genus	Urotrygon	Amphiprion (Clownfish)
Species	Urotrygon cimar	Hippocampus kuda

Evolutionary Relationship

Cimar Round Ray and Common Seahorse share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

Conservation Status

Cimar Round Ray

NT — Near Threatened

Common Seahorse

VU — Vulnerable

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Cimar Round Ray	Common Seahorse
Diet	—	Carnivore
Average Lifespan	—	5 years
Average Length	—	17 cm
Average Weight	—	10 g

Habitat & Geographic Range

Cimar Round Ray

Common Seahorse

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests, and tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas, among 7 distinct biome types. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Distributed across Australia, India, Indonesia, Japan, and Philippines. Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Cimar Round Ray

The Cimar round ray (Urotrygon cimar) is a small stingray in the family Urotrygonidae, found in the eastern Pacific Ocean along the coasts of Central America and northern South America, including the waters of Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, and Ecuador. It inhabits shallow coastal and estuarine waters over sandy and muddy bottoms, typically at depths of less than 50 meters, where it feeds on small benthic invertebrates and fish. Like other round rays in the genus Urotrygon, it has a nearly circular disc outline, a relatively slender tail, and a venomous caudal spine used defensively against predators. The species is classified as Near Threatened by the IUCN, reflecting its restricted range, vulnerability to coastal habitat degradation, and incidental capture in artisanal and commercial fisheries throughout its range. Bycatch in shrimp trawls and gill nets represents a significant ongoing threat to Urotrygon species throughout the eastern Pacific. Shallow coastal habitats in Central America and Colombia face continued pressure from development, mangrove loss, and pollution. The species' reproductive biology, like that of most Urotrygon rays, involves ovoviviparity, with females giving birth to live young after internal development. Population assessments for this species remain limited, and more data on abundance and mortality rates are needed.

Common Seahorse

The common seahorse is found in tropical and temperate waters. Males carry and deliver the babies.