Description
The Colares stingray has a diamond-shaped pectoral fin disk about as long as wide, with rounded margins and a long snout that tapers to a point. The snout of the female is shorter than that of the male, and snout edges dip in slightly near the tip. The eyes are small and followed by large spiracles. There is a flap of skin between the nares with a fringed rear margin and rounded corners. The lower lip is bow-shaped and lined by a distinctive straight, dark band. The dentition is sexually dimorphic: males have pointed, recurved teeth in 43–45 upper tooth rows and 45–60 lower tooth rows, while females have flat-crowned teeth in 66–77 upper tooth rows and 75–77 lower tooth rows. There are 3–4 papillae in a transverse row on the floor of the mouth, which may have forked tips. The pelvic fins are triangular, with the pointed tips extending past the disk. The tail is long and whip-like, measuring more than twice the disk length. A stinging spine with 69–70 serrations and sometimes a low keel are positioned on top of the tail, while a low fin fold runs underneath.
Small, flattened tubercles are randomly arranged along the dorsal midline from the base of the tail to between the eyes, thinning out towards the tip of the snout. Females also have tubercles on the underside. The dorsal coloration is a uniform light brown, becoming darker on the tail and claspers (in males), and with a light trailing margin on the pelvic fins. The underside is pale, darkening towards the fin margins. Males reach 2.07 m (6.8 ft) long and 63 cm (25 in) across, while females reach 2.61 m (8.6 ft) long and 91 cm (36 in) across.
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