Myliobatiformes

Myliobatiformes
Temporal range:
Short-tail stingray, Dasyatis brevicaudata
Scientific classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Chondrichthyes
Subclass: Elasmobranchii
Division: Batomorphi
Order: Myliobatiformes
Compagno, 1973
Type species
Myliobatis aquila
Families

See text

Myliobatiformes (/mɪliˈɒbətɪfɔːrmz/), commonly known as stingrays, are one of the four orders of batoids, cartilaginous fishes related to sharks. They are members of the subclass elasmobranchs. They were formerly included in the order Rajiformes, but more recent phylogenetic studies have shown the myliobatiformes to be a monophyletic group, and its more derived members evolved their highly flattened shapes independently of the skates.