Neotype designation and re-description of Forsskål’s reticulate whipray Himantura uarnak

A continuing impediment to the taxonomy of reticulate whipray Himantura spp. species complex is absence a type specimen for H. uarnak (Gmelin [ex Forsskål], 1789). Here, specimens were sampled from Jeddah region in Red Sea, assumed locality uarnak, and characterized genetically at cytochrome-oxidase subunit 1 (CO1) locus. One these now fish collection California Academy Sciences was designated as neotype. The maximum-likelihood phylogeny all available CO1 gene sequences genus had following topology: ((H. leoparda, uarnak), (H. undulata, (Himantura sp. 2, australis + 1))), tutul), where haplotypes formed distinct lineage sister leoparda. Based on sequences, geographic distribution includes eastern Mediterranean, East African coast, Arabian Sea. At least one remains be named.