Family RHINIDAE

Rhinidae

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Introduction

The family Rhinidae in the past was treated as including Rhinobatus and Rhynchobatus (Bigelow & Schroeder 1953). Subsequent to this a range of authors treated the Rhinobatidae and Rhinidae (including Rhynchobatus) as separate families (Last & Stevens 1994; Nelson 1994; Compagno & Last 1999; Hoese et al. 2006). Nelson (2006) and Last & Stevens (2009) assigned Rhynchobatus to its own family, the Rhyncobatidae. The most recent arrangement proposed by Naylor et al (2016) retains the Rhinobatidae but again places Rhynchobatus within the Rhinidae along with Rhina (the two genera forming a strongly supported monophyletic group) and the recently described Rhynchorhina. This is the arrangement followed here.

The family as now defined includes three genera and 10 species primarily from the Indo-west Pacific with two species occuring in the eastern Atlantic and. Two genera and 3 species are recorded from Australia, the monotypic genus Rhynchorhina is restricted to the eastern Atlantic (Last & Stevens, 2009, Last et al. 2016). Wedgefishes are medium to large shark like rays found in soft bottom environments of warm temperate-tropical inshore continental seas to depths of 60-70 m (Last et al. 2016). The single Rhina species R. ancylostoma (Shark Ray) is the most similar in general appearance to a shark, but is classified with the rays.

Maximum size is 3 m.

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

Hoese, D.F., Bray, D.J., Paxton, J.R. & Allen, G.R. 2006. Fishes. In, Beesley, P.L. & Wells, A. (eds) Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Vol. 35. Volume 35 Australia : ABRS & CSIRO Publishing Parts 1-3, 2178 pp.

Last, P.R., White, W.T. & Séret, B. 2016. 9. Wedgefishes: Family Rhinidae. pp. 65-76 in Last, P.R., White, W.T., Carvalho, M.R. de, Séret, B., Stehmann, M.F.W. & Naylor, G.J.P. (eds.). Rays of the World. Clayton South, Victoria : CSIRO Publishing 790 pp. [65]

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.

Naylor, G.J.P., Yang, L., Corrigan, S. & Carvalho, M.R. de 2016. Phylogeny and classification of rays. pp. 10-15 in Last, P.R., White, W.T., Carvalho, M.R. de, Séret, B., Stehmann, M.F.W. & Naylor, G.J.P. (eds.). Rays of the World. Clayton South, Victoria : CSIRO Publishing 790 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

Last, P.R., White, W.T. & Séret, B. 2016. 9. Wedgefishes: Family Rhinidae. pp. 65-76 in Last, P.R., White, W.T., Carvalho, M.R. de, Séret, B., Stehmann, M.F.W. & Naylor, G.J.P. (eds.). Rays of the World. Clayton South, Victoria : CSIRO Publishing 790 pp. [65] (Wedgefishes)

Last, P.R. & Stevens, J.D. 1994. Sharks and Rays of Australia. Canberra : CSIRO Australia 513 pp. 84 pls. [295] (Sharkfin Guitarfishes)

Last, P.R. & Stevens, J.D. 2009. Sharks and Rays of Australia. Collingwood : CSIRO Publishing Australia 2, 550 pp. [299] (Shark Rays)

History of changes