Rhinobatos leucospilus (Greyspot guitarfish)

Norman, 1926

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

Rhinobatos leucospilus (Greyspot guitarfish) [Illustration by Ann Hecht ©]

Identification

A flattened guitarfish with a broad wedge-shaped snout and pectoral disk, upper surface brown with large blue-grey spots on back and pectoral fins and symmetrical blue-grey bands on snout, also a few dark brown spots on back. Underside white.

Size

It reaches 1.2 m TL.

Range

East coast, central Transkei and Natal. Endemic.

Habitat

Surfline to 100 m. Biology Bears 2 to 4 young. Eats bivalves, gastropods, shrimp, crabs, and small bony fish.

Human Impact

Caught by anglers, by beach seines, and by trawlers..

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