Shovelnose guitarfish (Pseudobatos productus)
Key facts
- Scientific name
- Pseudobatos productus
- Common name
- Shovelnose guitarfish
- Category
- Fish
- Family
- Rhinobatidae
- Genus
- Pseudobatos
- Size
- 100–170 cm
- Depth
- 3–90 m
- IUCN status
- Near threatened (NT)
- Danger level
- Harmless
- Habitats
- sandy-bottom, seagrass-meadow
- Behaviours
- benthic, schooling
- Ocean zones
- Eastern Pacific
Description
Pseudobatos productus reaches 1.7 m. Guitarfish (Rhinobatidae) East Pacific temperate to tropical from California to Mexico with characteristic guitar-shaped body with flattened anterior disc gray-brown to olive-brown and muscular shark-like tail, pointed elongated snout. Lives from 3 to 90 m on sandy bottoms and coastal seagrass meadows. Benthic predator of crustaceans and fish. Forms sometimes large schools. IUCN Near Threatened. Accessible dive photo subject in Sea of Cortez and Baja California for its unique silhouette between shark and ray.
Photo of Shovelnose guitarfish
Frequently asked questions
- How big is the Shovelnose guitarfish?
- Shovelnose guitarfish (Pseudobatos productus) reaches 100–170 cm in length.
- At what depth can you find the Shovelnose guitarfish?
- Shovelnose guitarfish is found between 3–90 m deep.
- Is the Shovelnose guitarfish dangerous to divers?
- Danger level: Harmless.
- What is the conservation status of the Shovelnose guitarfish?
- IUCN status: Near threatened (NT).
- Where can you find the Shovelnose guitarfish?
- Found in: Eastern Pacific.
Other species in the genus Pseudobatos
Other species in the family Rhinobatidae
Sources
- Taxonomy: WoRMS (AphiaID 1043469)
- Photos: iNaturalist (CC BY-NC)
- Distribution: GBIF (taxonKey 9479285)
- Conservation: IUCN Red List
- Encyclopedia: Wikipedia