Batman Rays: Man-Made or Genetic Freak?

First off, I would like to inform those who still believe Bat-Man Rays can be produced by slicing the disc margin of the stingray when they are young, that you are absolutely incorrect.  Stingrays are sensitive animals and they could not endure that type of mutilation.  Stingrays also have an amazing ability to regenerate their disc, which would further recognize 'batman rays' to be a developmental disfunction.

Batman Rays are the result of a defect during embryonic development of the disc.  The frontal area of the disc fails to fuse together.  This morph is very uncommon, and no one to date has been able to reproduce these rays with success.  Much like Albino or Xanthic morphs, these rays are a genetic misfit, and are usually only birthed in captivity because the survival rate of a deficient animal in the wild is next to none.  This is due to predation and competition for food.

These rays move, eat, and act like normal stingrays.  Special care must be provided as they tend to have a harder time competing for food.  Beyond the few that are being kept in captivity, very little is known about the Batman Ray.  We can assume that it is a genetic mutation, similar to a 'cleft lip' in a human, and that it is in no way man-made.  These stingrays demand a very high price due to rarity.

If anyone has extended information on Bat-man Stingrays, Email us.

Photo Credits: Neoprodigy - Owner - www.MonsterAquariaNetwork.com

"Another was born as a ‘Batman’ ray. The pectoral fins
had failed to fuse together in front of its head in early
development. Its snout was free, and its pectoral fins
projected forward on each side. I was worried that without
a complete disk the ray might not be able to create enough
suction to pull worms out of the gravel. To my surprise,
the ray did fantastic, eating healthily, growing rapidly,
and developing a nice color pattern.  I feel that the deformed morphology of the batman ray is due to an error in the process of development. I have a hunch that it is due to some vitamin deficiency, kind of like a cleft lip in humans. I have spoken with J.Langhammer about this and he feels the same way. I suspect that genetic variation in susceptibility to the deformity is likely to be very low, and therefore not breedable. There is no known genetic component to cleft lips in humans, and batman morphology in stingrays almost certainly has nothing to do with genetics."

-Ronald Oldfield, University of Michigan

Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology