Report of zonetail butterfly ray, Gymnura zonura (Bleeker, 1852) and mangrove stingray Urogymnus granulatus (Macleay 1883) (Chondrichthyes: Myliobatiformes) from Andaman waters, India

This paper reports the occurrence of two stingray species from Andaman waters, India; the zonetail butterfly ray Gymnura zonura (Bleeker, 1852) (695 mm DW) which represents a new distributional range, and the mangrove stingray Urogymnus granulatus (Macleay 1883) (395 mm DW) which represents a rare occurrence. These occurrences suggest hidden stingray diversity in this region. Morphological descriptions of both species, as well as a molecular barcode of G. zonura, were generated in the present study to clarify the taxonomic information. The current report assists in improving the understanding of the local diversity and distribution of batoids in Andaman waters, which is crucial for developing fishery management strategies.