Rhinobatos annulatus (Little guitarfish)

Smith, in Müller & Henle, 1841

Life > Eukaryotes > Opisthokonta > Metazoa (animals) > Bilateria > Deuterostomia > Chordata > Craniata > Vertebrata (vertebrates)  > Gnathostomata (jawed vertebrates) > Chondrichthyes > Elasmobranchii > Batoidei > Rajiformes > Rhinobatoidei > Rhinobatidae

Rhinobatos annulatus (Little guitarfish) [Illustration by Ann Hecht ©]

Identification

A flattened guitarfish with a broad wedge-shaped snout and pectoral disk, upper surface tan to dark brown, underside white. Typical Cape colour variant has numerous small ocelli consisting of a dark brown spot with a light ring and a dark brown margin around it. Natal colour variant (illustrated) has simple large dark spots.

Size

To 1.4 m TL.

Range

Virtually entire coast from Namibia to central Natal. Endemic.

Habitat

Inshore from surfline to about 70 m, also estuaries.

Biology

Bears 2 to 10 young in summer. Eats small sand-dwelling invertebrates including crustaceans (mysids, amphipods, isopods, and swimming crabs), bivalves, and polychaete worms, also small bony fishes.

Human Impact

Commonly caught by anglers, also by bottom trawlers.

Text by Leonard J.V. Compagno, David A. Ebert and Malcolm J. Smale