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Abstract Background End-Cretaceous niche-filling by benthic Mesozoic survivors resulted in a prominent increase of durophagous fish families, resulting in the appearance of the earliest representatives of several extant fish lineages, including the pelagic durophagous stingrays, a monophyletic clade of myliobatiform batoids that is characterized by a derived swimming mode and feeding habits. Although the earliest members appeared in the Late Cretaceous, most of the crown genera date back to the Eocene. Results In this study, we re-examine the anatomy of the Eocene eagle ray Promyliobatis gazolai (de Zigno), represented by two nearly complete and articulated specimens from the world-famous Ypresian Konservat-Lagerstätte of Bolca, in detail. This taxon exhibits a mosaic of plesiomorphic and derived characters (e.g. tail sting displaced posteriorly on the tail, at about 50–60% of tail length; pectoral fins joining in front of the head; anterior and posterior pectoral fin margins nearly straight; compagibus laminam absent; single, unfragmented mesopterygium) that clearly define a new body plan within the pelagic durophagous stingrays. Conclusions The significant morphological differences between Promyliobatis and extant representatives of Myliobatidae, Aetobatidae, Rhinopteridae, and Mobulidae, support its placement as separate stem group member. The phylogenetic placement of Promyliobatis, based on skeletal and dental characters, strongly supports its basal position within pelagic stingrays. However, its position within the Myliobatiformes becomes unstable when stingray taxa known by fossil teeth only are included. A comparative analysis of the skeletal and tooth morphologies, as well as of the evolutionary trends of pelagic stingrays is also discussed.