Coachwhip ray vs Comb-toed Jerboa

Urogymnus granulatus compared with Paradipus ctenodactylus

Key Differences

• Coachwhip ray is Vulnerable while Comb-toed Jerboa is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Coachwhip ray	Comb-toed Jerboa
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Elasmobranchii	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Myliobatiformes (Myliobatiformes)	Rodentia (Rodents)
Family	Dasyatidae	Dipodidae
Genus	Urogymnus	Paradipus
Species	Urogymnus granulatus	Paradipus ctenodactylus

Evolutionary Relationship

Coachwhip ray and Comb-toed Jerboa share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

Conservation Status

Coachwhip ray

VU — Vulnerable

Comb-toed Jerboa

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Coachwhip ray	Comb-toed Jerboa
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Coachwhip ray

Comb-toed Jerboa

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Coachwhip ray

The coachwhip ray, Urogymnus granulatus, is a large elasmobranch in the family Urogymidae found across the Indo-Pacific region, ranging from the Red Sea and East Africa through South and Southeast Asia to northern Australia and the western Pacific islands. It inhabits shallow coastal waters including coral reef flats, sandy lagoons, seagrass beds, and estuarine habitats, where it forages for benthic invertebrates and small fishes buried in the substrate. The coachwhip ray is characterized by an oval disc and a long, whip-like tail with one or more venomous spines at its base, giving the species its common name. The disc reaches up to 1.4 meters in width, making it one of the larger members of its family. Urogymnus granulatus is ovoviviparous, giving birth to live young after internal development, and has low reproductive rates that make populations slow to recover from exploitation. The species is classified as Vulnerable by the IUCN due to significant declines caused by intensive coastal fisheries across its range, particularly in South and Southeast Asia where it is commonly caught as bycatch or targeted for its valuable meat, skin, and gill plates in local markets. Habitat degradation from coastal development and coral reef decline compounds the threat to wild populations.

Comb-toed Jerboa

<em>Paradipus ctenodactylus</em>, the comb-toed jerboa, is a small nocturnal rodent in the family Dipodidae, assessed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. It is adapted to arid desert and semi-desert environments and is the sole member of the genus <em>Paradipus</em>. The species is named for the distinctive comb-like fringe of stiff hairs on the toes of the hind feet, which provides traction on loose sand surfaces. Like other jerboas, it is highly specialized for bipedal locomotion, possessing greatly elongated hind limbs relative to its body size, a long tail used for balance, and large ears. <em>P. ctenodactylus</em> is primarily granivorous and insectivorous, foraging for seeds, plant material, and invertebrates in its desert habitat. It digs burrows for shelter and protection from temperature extremes. Geographic range details are not recorded in the current record.