First substantiated record of leopard whipray, Himantura leoparda (Myliobatoidei: Dasyatidae) from the Syrian coast (Eastern Mediterranean Sea)

Abstract

The capture of leopard whipray, Himantura leoparda Manjaji-Matsumoto & Last, 2008 from the Syrian coast is reported in the present paper. This capture constitutes the first record for the Syrian coast and the third for the Mediterranean Sea. The Syrian specimen measured 2955 mm in total length (TL), 1310 mm disc width (DW), and weighed 54 kg for total body weight. It was a pregnant female carrying 5 developing embryos expulsed from the female on the landing site. The specimen is described and comments on the distribution and the real status of this species in the area are provided.