Cimar Round Ray vs Leatherback Sea Turtle

Urotrygon cimar compared with Dermochelys coriacea

Key Differences

• Cimar Round Ray is Near Threatened while Leatherback Sea Turtle is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Cimar Round Ray	Leatherback Sea Turtle
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Elasmobranchii	Reptilia (Reptiles)
Order	Myliobatiformes (Myliobatiformes)	Testudines (Turtles & Tortoises)
Family	Urotrygonidae	Cheloniidae (Sea Turtles)
Genus	Urotrygon	Chelonia (Green Sea Turtles)
Species	Urotrygon cimar	Dermochelys coriacea

Evolutionary Relationship

Cimar Round Ray and Leatherback Sea Turtle share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

Conservation Status

Cimar Round Ray

NT — Near Threatened

Leatherback Sea Turtle

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~35.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Cimar Round Ray	Leatherback Sea Turtle
Diet	—	Carnivore
Average Lifespan	—	50 years
Average Length	—	2.0 m
Average Weight	—	500.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

Cimar Round Ray

Leatherback Sea Turtle

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 5 distinct biome types spanning the Australasia and Indomalayan and Neotropic realms. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Distributed across Costa Rica, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Trinidad and Tobago. 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.

Leatherback Sea Turtle

The leatherback is the largest living turtle and the fourth-heaviest reptile. Unlike other turtles, it has a soft, leathery shell.