{{Short description|Species of cartilaginous fish}} {{redirect-distinguish2|Cortez round stingray|Round stingray, sometimes known as Cortez ray}} {{Speciesbox | name = Spotted round ray | image = Urobatis maculatus danzante.jpg | image_caption = Spotted round ray in Bahía de Loreto National Park | status = LC | status_system = IUCN3.1 | status_ref = <ref name="iucn status 17 November 2021">{{cite iucn |author=Pollom, R. |author2=Bizzarro, J. |author3=Burgos-Vázquez, M.I. |author4=Avalos, C. |author5=Herman, K. |author6=Pérez Jiménez, J.C. |author7=Sosa-Nishizaki, O. |date=2020 |title=''Urobatis maculatus'' |volume=2020 |article-number=e.T60110A124439208 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T60110A124439208.en |access-date=17 November 2021}}</ref> | genus = Urobatis | species = maculatus | authority = (Garman, 1913) | synonyms = ''Urolophus maculatus'' <small>Garman, 1913</small> }} [[Image:Urobatis maculatus.jpg|thumb|left|Spotted round ray in the Gulf of California]]
'''''Urobatis maculatus''''', known as the '''spotted round ray''' or '''Cortez round stingray''', is a species of round ray, within the genus ''Urobatis'', and of the family Urotrygonidae.<ref name=Del-Moral-Flores2015>{{cite journal |last1=Moral-Flores |first1=L.F.D. |last2=Angulo |first2=A. |last3=López |first3=M.I. |last4=Bussing |first4=W.A. |date=2015 |title=A new species of ''Urobatis'' (Myliobatiformes: Urotrygonidae) from the tropical Eastern Pacific |journal=Revista de Biología Tropical |volume=63 |issue=2 |pages=501–514 |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/274256903 |doi=10.15517/rbt.v63i2.15746|doi-access=free|hdl=10669/75287 |hdl-access=free }}</ref> It is endemic to Mexico, with its natural habitats being shallow seas, subtidal aquatic beds, coral reefs, estuarine waters, intertidal marshes, and coastal saline lagoons.
Spotted round rays reach a length of {{convert|42|cm|in}} TL.<ref>{{FishBase |genus= Urolophus|species= maculatus| month = February | year = 2015}}</ref> The spotted round ray is ideal for captivity due to its hardiness and smaller size, and it is also a favorable candidate for breeding in aquaria.<ref name=Sharks>{{cite book |last=Michael |first=Scott |title=Aquarium Sharks & Rays |publisher=T.F.H Publications, Inc. |date=2001 |location=Neptune City, NJ}}</ref> It can be kept in a minimum 180 gallon aquarium with fine substrate, little décor, a bottom with much surface area (for sufficient swimming space), excellent filtration, protected internal tank equipment like heaters and filter intakes (by surrounding them with polyurethane foam barriers), and a secure lid.<ref name=Sharks /> In the aquarium trade, it may be confused with the Round stingray, ''Urobatis halleri'', which in the hobby may be called the ''Cortez ray'' as well.<ref name=care>(2010): cortez/round stingray care | Saltwaterfish.com. ''[https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/index.php?threads/cortez-round-stingray-care.382407/]''. In: Saltwaterfish.com. [https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/index.php]</ref>
The spotted round ray can be parasitized by the flatworm ''Pleorchis magniporus''.<ref>{{cite journal | first1 = Aldo Iván | last1 = Merlo-Serna | first2= Luis | last2 = García-Prieto | title = A checklist of helminth parasites of Elasmobranchii in Mexico |journal=ZooKeys |pages=73–128 |date=15 Feb 2016 |issue=563 |url=https://zookeys.pensoft.net/article/6067/element/7/otodistomum/ |doi=10.3897/zookeys.563.6067 |pmc=4797213 |pmid=27047240|doi-access=free }}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{sealifephotos|283087}}
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Category:Urobatis Category:Endemic fish of Mexico Category:Fish of the Gulf of California Category:Taxonomy articles created by Polbot Category:Fish described in 1913
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