Family RHINOBATIDAE

Rhynchobatidae

© Copyright Ros Poole.

Rhinobatidae (Trygonorrhina

© Copyright D.F. Hoese

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Introduction

Members of the Rhinobatidae are commonly known as guitarfishes, fiddler rays, shovelnose rays and shark rays. About 40 species in four genera are currently recognised from all three oceans. Eight species in four genera have been recorded from Australian waters (Last & Stevens 1994, 2009).

Rhinobatids are benthic in shallow marine waters. Recorded food items include fishes, crustaceans and molluscs. Although these fishes are rather flattened with a ventral mouth, the tail is thick. They bear two dorsal fins and one caudal fin, and lack venomous spines. Maximum size is almost 3 m.

Rhinobatids have not been reviewed since the works of Fowler (1941) and Bigelow & Schroeder (1953). Nelson (1994), Compagno & Last (1999) and Nelson (2006) are followed here in separating the Rhinobatidae and Rhinidae.

Compagno & Last (1999) suggested that records of Rhinobatos granulatus Cuvier, 1829 from Australia need confirmation. Most, if not all, records appear to be based on misidentifications of Glaucostegus typus.

General References

Bigelow, H.B. & Schroeder, W.C. 1953. Sawfishes, guitarfishes, skates and rays. pp. 1-514, figs 1-117 in Parr, A.E. (ed.). Fishes of the western North Atlantic. Memoir. Sears Foundation of Marine Research 1(2): 1-599

Compagno, L.J.V. & Last, P.R. 1999. Families Pristidae, Rhinidae, Rhinobatidae, Platyrhinidae. pp. 1410-1432 in Carpenter, K.E. & Niem, V.H. (eds). The Living Marine Resources of the Western Central Pacific. FAO Species Identification Guide for Fisheries Purposes. Rome : FAO Vol. 3 pp. 1397-2068.

Fowler, H.W. 1941. Contributions to the biology of the Philippine Archipelago and adjacent regions. The fishes of the groups Elasmobranchii, Holocephali, Isospondyli and Ostariophysi obtained by the United States Bureau of Fisheries Steamer Albatross in 1907 to 1910, chiefly in the Philippine Islands and adjacent seas. Bulletin of the United States National Museum 100(13): 1-879 figs 1-30

Last, P.R. & Stevens, J.D. 1994. Sharks and Rays of Australia. Canberra : CSIRO Australia 513 pp. 84 pls.

Last, P.R. & Stevens, J.D. 2009. Sharks and Rays of Australia. Collingwood : CSIRO Publishing Australia 2, 550 pp.

Nelson, J.S. 1994. Fishes of the World. New York : John Wiley & Sons 600 pp.

Nelson, J.S. 2006. Fishes of the World. Hoboken, New Jersey : John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 601 pp.

Common Name References

Compagno, L.J.V. & Last, P.R. 1999. Families Pristidae, Rhinidae, Rhinobatidae, Platyrhinidae. pp. 1410-1432 in Carpenter, K.E. & Niem, V.H. (eds). The Living Marine Resources of the Western Central Pacific. FAO Species Identification Guide for Fisheries Purposes. Rome : FAO Vol. 3 pp. 1397-2068. [1423] (FAO) (Guitarfishes)

Last, P.R. & Stevens, J.D. 1994. Sharks and Rays of Australia. Canberra : CSIRO Australia 513 pp. 84 pls. [283] (Shovelnose Rays)

Paxton, J.R., Hoese, D.F., Allen, G.R. & Hanley, J.E. (eds) 1989. Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Pisces: Petromyzontidae to Carangidae. Canberra : Australian Government Publishing Service Vol. 7 665 pp. (Fiddler Rays)

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