White-Blotched River Stingray (Potamotrygon leopoldi) - Tennessee Aquarium - Chattanooga, Tennessee
The White-Blotched River Stingray (Potamotrygon leopoldi), also known as the polka-dot stingray or the Xingu River Stingray, is a species of freshwater fish that is endemic to the Xingu River basin in Brazil and as such prefers clear waters with rocky bottoms. The fish is named in honor of King Leopold III (1901–1983) of Belgium, who sponsored many scientific studies at the Institut Royal des Sciences Naturelles de Belgique. It has a distinctive pattern of white dots on a black background, helping it blend into its riverbed habitat.

<b>-- Quick Facts --</b>
‧  This freshwater stingray is native to the Xingu River Basin in Brazil, a tributary of the Amazon River. It was originally believed to occur solely in the Xingu River, but has been subsequently spotted and documented in the Curuá and Iriri rivers.
‧  The white-blotched river stingray eats small invertebrates and fishes, as well as freshwater snails and crabs.
‧  Most white-blotched river stingrays grow to be between 11 to 16 inches in diameter, and around 2 feet in length.
‧  Little is known about this type of ray, including its population size.
‧  It is believed that the blotched markings for which these rays are named are meant to resemble the sun hitting the bottom of the rivers in which they live, helping them camouflage.
‧  White-Blotched River Stingray is a venomous stingray that contains venom localized at its dentine spine in its tail.
‧  Its large pup litter size makes this species unique. The average white-blotched river stingray litter consists of seven or eight pups, but as many as 12 pups have been born in a single litter. Other stingray species birth an average of only four pups per litter.
‧  One of the rarest types of stingrays, the white-blotched river stingray is threatened by habitat loss due to increased human activity, including gold mining, fisheries, logging, agriculture expansion and dam construction, in its Xingu River Basin home. It is also sometimes captured for ornamental purposes.
‧  Conservation Status - Vulnerable or Threatened

- Technical Information (or Nerdy Stuff) -
‧  Camera - Nikon D7200 (handheld)
‧  Lens – Nikkor 18-300mm Zoom
‧  ISO – 4000
‧  Aperture – f/5.3
‧  Exposure – 1/200 second
‧  Focal Length – 60mm

The original RAW file was processed with Adobe Camera Raw and final adjustments were made with Photoshop CS6.

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