Common ray vs Indian Ocean humpback dolphin

Telatrygon biasa compared with Sousa plumbea

Key Differences

• Common ray is Vulnerable while Indian Ocean humpback dolphin is Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Common ray	Indian Ocean humpback dolphin
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Elasmobranchii	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Myliobatiformes (Myliobatiformes)	Cetacea (Whales & Dolphins)
Family	Dasyatidae	Delphinidae (Oceanic Dolphins)
Genus	Telatrygon	Sousa
Species	Telatrygon biasa	Sousa plumbea

Evolutionary Relationship

Common ray and Indian Ocean humpback dolphin share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

Conservation Status

Common ray

VU — Vulnerable

Indian Ocean humpback dolphin

EN — Endangered

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Common ray	Indian Ocean humpback dolphin
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Common ray

Indian Ocean humpback dolphin

Habitat

Inhabits temperate broadleaf and mixed forests and Mediterranean forests and woodlands within the Palearctic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Found in Greece. Currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Common ray

<em>Telatrygon biasa</em>, the common ray, is a cartilaginous fish in the family Dasyatidae, order Myliobatiformes, belonging to the broader class Chondrichthyes. The species is assessed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, indicating elevated concern over population viability. Common rays are demersal elasmobranchs typically found in shallow coastal and inshore marine habitats, resting on sandy or muddy substrates. Like other dasyatid stingrays, <em>Telatrygon biasa</em> typically feeds on benthic invertebrates including crustaceans, mollusks, and worms, which it detects using electroreceptive ampullae of Lorenzini. It typically moves by undulating its broad pectoral disc, a hallmark locomotion style of stingrays. The vulnerable status of this species likely reflects pressures from bycatch in coastal fisheries and habitat degradation, which are common threats for inshore ray species across the Indo-Pacific region. Biological traits such as lifespan, precise body measurements, and detailed diet composition remain poorly documented for this taxon, and further field research is needed to characterize population structure and reproductive ecology. Conservation measures targeting bycatch reduction in artisanal and commercial fisheries would benefit this species.