Other identification tools | FishBase

Fish Identification: Find Species


Family: Rhinobatidae Guitarfishes



(See list of species below)



Select Class:     Select Order:   
Select Family: Subfamily:     Select Genus:

Select Ocean (marine/brackish) or Continent (freshwater):
                                                          Specify a country:

Total number of spines in dorsal and anal fins (optional)


51 species (see list below)

1 of 1 Jump to:

Photo by Osmany, H.B.

Southeast Atlantic
Max. Length 140 cm TL
Acroteriobatus annulatus (Müller & Henle, 1841)

Photo by Osmany, H.B.
 
Acroteriobatus annulatus
[Lesser sandshark]

Photo by SFSA

Southeast Atlantic
Max. Length 100 cm TL
Acroteriobatus blochii (Müller & Henle, 1841)

Photo by SFSA
 
Acroteriobatus blochii
[Bluntnose guitarfish]

Photo by Henlé, C.

Western Indian Ocean
Max. Length 120 cm TL
Acroteriobatus leucospilus (Norman, 1926)

Photo by Henlé, C.
 
Acroteriobatus leucospilus
[Grayspottted guitarfish]

Photo by SFSA

Western Indian Ocean
Max. Length 81 cm TL
Acroteriobatus ocellatus (Norman, 1926)

Photo by SFSA
 
Acroteriobatus ocellatus
[]
No picture found
Western Indian Ocean
Max. Length 60 cm TL

 
Acroteriobatus omanensis
[Omn guitarfish]

Photo by Khan, M.M.

Western Indian Ocean
Max. Length 78 cm TL
Acroteriobatus salalah (Randall & Compagno, 1995)

Photo by Khan, M.M.
 
Acroteriobatus salalah
[Salalah guitarfish]

Photo by Vishnuraj, RS

Indian Ocean
Max. Length 75 cm TL
Acroteriobatus variegatus (Nair & Lal Mohan, 1973)

Photo by Vishnuraj, RS
 
Acroteriobatus variegatus
[Stripenose guitarfish]
No picture found
Western Indian Ocean
Max. Length 75 cm TL

 
Acroteriobatus zanzibarensis
[Zanzibar guitarfish]

Photo by Murch, A.

Western Pacific
Max. Length 120 cm TL
Aptychotrema rostrata (Shaw, 1794)

Photo by Murch, A.
 
Aptychotrema rostrata
[Eastern shovelnose ray]
No picture found
Western Pacific
Max. Length 58.2 cm TL

 
Aptychotrema timorensis
[Spotted shovelnose ray]
No picture found
Eastern Indian Ocean
Max. Length 79 cm TL

 
Aptychotrema vincentiana
[Western shovelnose ray]

Photo by Randall, J.E.

Indo-West Pacific
Max. Length 280 cm SL
Glaucostegus granulatus (Cuvier, 1829)

Photo by Randall, J.E.
 
Glaucostegus granulatus
[Granulated guitarfish]

Photo by Randall, J.E.

Indo-West Pacific
Max. Length 120 cm WD
Glaucostegus halavi (Forsskål, 1775)

Photo by Randall, J.E.
 
Glaucostegus halavi
[Halavi ray]

Photo by JJPhoto

Indo-West Pacific
Max. Length 270 cm TL
Glaucostegus typus (Anonymous [Bennett], 1830)

Photo by JJPhoto
 
Glaucostegus typus
[Giant shovelnose ray]

Photo by Gotshall, D.W.

Eastern Pacific
Max. Length 91 cm TL
Platyrhinoidis triseriata (Jordan & Gilbert, 1880)

Photo by Gotshall, D.W.
 
Platyrhinoidis triseriata
[Thornback guitarfish]

Photo by FAO

Eastern Central Pacific
Max. Length 85 cm TL
Pseudobatos glaucostigmus (Jordan & Gilbert, 1883)

Photo by FAO
 
Pseudobatos glaucostigmus
[Speckled guitarfish]

Photo by Fischer, L.G.

Western South Atlantic
Max. Length 138 cm TL
Pseudobatos horkelii (Müller & Henle, 1841)

Photo by Fischer, L.G.
 
Pseudobatos horkelii
[Brazilian guitarfish]

Photo by Murch, A.

Western Atlantic
Max. Length 76 cm TL
Pseudobatos lentiginosus (Garman, 1880)

Photo by Murch, A.
 
Pseudobatos lentiginosus
[Atlantic guitarfish]

Photo by Béarez, P.

Eastern Central Pacific
Max. Length 70.2 cm TL
Pseudobatos leucorhynchus (Günther, 1867)

Photo by Béarez, P.
 
Pseudobatos leucorhynchus
[Whitesnout guitarfish]

Photo by Carvalho Filho, A.

Western Atlantic
Max. Length 100 cm WD
Pseudobatos percellens (Walbaum, 1792)

Photo by Carvalho Filho, A.
 
Pseudobatos percellens
[Chola guitarfish]

Photo by Elasmolab Universidad Austral de Chile

Eastern Pacific
Max. Length 76.3 cm TL
Pseudobatos planiceps (Garman, 1880)

Photo by Elasmolab Universidad Austral de Chile
 
Pseudobatos planiceps
[Pacific guitarfish]

Photo by Béarez, P.

Eastern Pacific
Max. Length 90 cm TL
Pseudobatos prahli (Acero P. & Franke, 1995)

Photo by Béarez, P.
 
Pseudobatos prahli
[Gorgona guitarfish]

Photo by Murch, A.

Eastern Pacific
Max. Length 170 cm TL
Pseudobatos productus (Ayres, 1854)

Photo by Murch, A.
 
Pseudobatos productus
[Shovelnose guitarfish]

Photo by FAO

Eastern Atlantic
Max. Length 75 cm TL
Rhinobatos albomaculatus Norman, 1930

Photo by FAO
 
Rhinobatos albomaculatus
[Whitespotted guitarfish]

Photo by Iranian Fisheries Research Organization (IFRO)

Indian Ocean
Max. Length 56 cm SL
Rhinobatos annandalei Norman, 1926

Photo by Iranian Fisheries Research Organization (IFRO)
 
Rhinobatos annandalei
[Annandale's guitarfish]
No picture found
Northwest Pacific
Max. Length 90 cm TL

 
Rhinobatos borneensis
[Borneo guitarfish]

Photo by Krajangdara, T.

Western Pacific
Max. Length 73 cm TL
Rhinobatos formosensis Norman, 1926

Photo by Krajangdara, T.
 
Rhinobatos formosensis
[Taiwan guitarfish]

Photo by Devarapalli, P.

Western Indian Ocean
Max. Length 127 cm TL
Rhinobatos holcorhynchus Norman, 1922

Photo by Devarapalli, P.
 
Rhinobatos holcorhynchus
[Slender guitarfish]

Photo by Shao, K.T.

Northwest Pacific
Max. Length 62 cm TL
Rhinobatos hynnicephalus Richardson, 1846

Photo by Shao, K.T.
 
Rhinobatos hynnicephalus
[Angel fish]
No picture found
Eastern Atlantic
Max. Length 100 cm TL

 
Rhinobatos irvinei
[Spineback guitarfish]
No picture found
Western Pacific
Max. Length 99.4 cm TL

 
Rhinobatos jimbaranensis
[Jimbaran shovelnose ray]
No picture found
Indian Ocean

 
Rhinobatos lionotus
[Smoothback guitarfish]
No picture found
Western Pacific

 
Rhinobatos microphthalmus
[Smalleyed guitarfish]
No picture found
Central Indian Ocean
Max. Length 50.1 cm TL

 
Rhinobatos nudidorsalis
[]
No picture found
Western Pacific
Max. Length 99.2 cm TL

 
Rhinobatos penggali
[Indonesian shovelnose ray]
No picture found
Western Indian Ocean

 
Rhinobatos petiti
[Madagascar guitarfish]

Photo by Randall, J.E.

Western Indian Ocean
Max. Length 80.5 cm TL
Rhinobatos punctifer Compagno & Randall, 1987

Photo by Randall, J.E.
 
Rhinobatos punctifer
[Spotted guitarfish]

Photo by JJPhoto

Eastern Atlantic
Max. Length 147 cm TL
Rhinobatos rhinobatos (Linnaeus, 1758)

Photo by JJPhoto
 
Rhinobatos rhinobatos
[Common guitarfish]
No picture found
Eastern Indian Ocean
Max. Length 59.5 cm TL

 
Rhinobatos sainsburyi
[Goldeneye shovelnose]

Photo by Randall, J.E.

Western Pacific
Max. Length 100 cm TL
Rhinobatos schlegelii Müller & Henle, 1841

Photo by Randall, J.E.
 
Rhinobatos schlegelii
[Brown guitarfish]
No picture found
Eastern Central Pacific
Max. Length 34 cm

 
Rhinobatos spinosus
[Spiny guitarfish]

Photo by A. Biju Kumar

Indo-Pacific.
Max. Length 120 cm NG
Rhinobatos thouiniana (Shaw, 1804)

Photo by A. Biju Kumar
 
Rhinobatos thouiniana
[Shaw's shovelnose guitar fish]
No picture found
Western Pacific
Max. Length 84.4 cm TL

 
Rhinobatos whitei
[Philippine guitarfish]
No picture found
Southeast Pacific

 
Tarsistes philippii
[]
No picture found
Southwest Pacific

 
Trygonorrhina dumerilii
[]

Photo by Sionis, A.

Eastern Indian Ocean
Max. Length 126 cm TL
Trygonorrhina fasciata Müller & Henle, 1841

Photo by Sionis, A.
 
Trygonorrhina fasciata
[Southern fiddler ray]
No picture found
Eastern Indian Ocean
Max. Length 90 cm TL

 
Trygonorrhina melaleuca
[Magpie fiddler ray]

Photo by Wirtz, P.

Eastern Central Atlantic
Max. Length 100 cm TL
Zanobatus schoenleinii (Müller & Henle, 1841)

Photo by Wirtz, P.
 
Zanobatus schoenleinii
[Striped panray]

Photo by Vianna, M.

Southwest Atlantic
Max. Length 54 cm TL
Zapteryx brevirostris (Müller & Henle, 1841)

Photo by Vianna, M.
 
Zapteryx brevirostris
[Lesser guitarfish]

Photo by Murch, A.

Eastern Pacific
Max. Length 97 cm
Zapteryx exasperata (Jordan & Gilbert, 1880)

Photo by Murch, A.
 
Zapteryx exasperata
[Banded guitarfish]

Photo by Robertson, R.

Eastern Pacific

Zapteryx xyster Jordan & Evermann, 1896

Photo by Robertson, R.
 
Zapteryx xyster
[Witch guitarfish]
51 Species of Family Rhinobatidae
(Guitarfishes)
Sort by: Species Length Year
1 of 1 Jump to:
Year Scientific Name English Name Distribution Max. Length (cm)
1841 Acroteriobatus annulatus Lesser sandshark Southeast Atlantic 140 TL
1841 Acroteriobatus blochii Bluntnose guitarfish Southeast Atlantic 100 TL
1926 Acroteriobatus leucospilus Grayspottted guitarfish Western Indian Ocean 120 TL
1926 Acroteriobatus ocellatus Western Indian Ocean 81 TL
2016 Acroteriobatus omanensis Omn guitarfish Western Indian Ocean 60 TL
1995 Acroteriobatus salalah Salalah guitarfish Western Indian Ocean 78 TL
1973 Acroteriobatus variegatus Stripenose guitarfish Indian Ocean 75 TL
1926 Acroteriobatus zanzibarensis Zanzibar guitarfish Western Indian Ocean 75 TL
1794 Aptychotrema rostrata Eastern shovelnose ray Western Pacific 120 TL
2004 Aptychotrema timorensis Spotted shovelnose ray Western Pacific 58.2 TL
1885 Aptychotrema vincentiana Western shovelnose ray Eastern Indian Ocean 79 TL
1829 Glaucostegus granulatus Granulated guitarfish Indo-West Pacific 280 SL
1775 Glaucostegus halavi Halavi ray Indo-West Pacific 120 WD
1830 Glaucostegus typus Giant shovelnose ray Indo-West Pacific 270 TL
1880 Platyrhinoidis triseriata Thornback guitarfish Eastern Pacific 91 TL
1883 Pseudobatos glaucostigmus Speckled guitarfish Eastern Central Pacific 85 TL
1841 Pseudobatos horkelii Brazilian guitarfish Western South Atlantic 138 TL
1880 Pseudobatos lentiginosus Atlantic guitarfish Western Atlantic 76 TL
1867 Pseudobatos leucorhynchus Whitesnout guitarfish Eastern Central Pacific 70.2 TL
1792 Pseudobatos percellens Chola guitarfish Western Atlantic 100 WD
1880 Pseudobatos planiceps Pacific guitarfish Eastern Pacific 76.3 TL
1995 Pseudobatos prahli Gorgona guitarfish Eastern Pacific 90 TL
1854 Pseudobatos productus Shovelnose guitarfish Eastern Pacific 170 TL
1930 Rhinobatos albomaculatus Whitespotted guitarfish Eastern Atlantic 75 TL
1926 Rhinobatos annandalei Annandale's guitarfish Indian Ocean 56 SL
2016 Rhinobatos borneensis Borneo guitarfish Northwest Pacific 90 TL
1926 Rhinobatos formosensis Taiwan guitarfish Western Pacific 73 TL
1922 Rhinobatos holcorhynchus Slender guitarfish Western Indian Ocean 127 TL
1846 Rhinobatos hynnicephalus Angel fish Northwest Pacific 62 TL
1931 Rhinobatos irvinei Spineback guitarfish Eastern Atlantic 100 TL
2006 Rhinobatos jimbaranensis Jimbaran shovelnose ray Western Pacific 99.4 TL
1926 Rhinobatos lionotus Smoothback guitarfish Indian Ocean
1959 Rhinobatos microphthalmus Smalleyed guitarfish Western Pacific
2004 Rhinobatos nudidorsalis Central Indian Ocean 50.1 TL
2006 Rhinobatos penggali Indonesian shovelnose ray Western Pacific 99.2 TL
1929 Rhinobatos petiti Madagascar guitarfish Western Indian Ocean
1987 Rhinobatos punctifer Spotted guitarfish Western Indian Ocean 80.5 TL
1758 Rhinobatos rhinobatos Common guitarfish Eastern Atlantic 147 TL
2004 Rhinobatos sainsburyi Goldeneye shovelnose Eastern Indian Ocean 59.5 TL
1841 Rhinobatos schlegelii Brown guitarfish Western Pacific 100 TL
1870 Rhinobatos spinosus Spiny guitarfish Eastern Central Pacific 34
1804 Rhinobatos thouiniana Shaw's shovelnose guitar fish Indo-Pacific. 120 NG
2014 Rhinobatos whitei Philippine guitarfish Western Pacific 84.4 TL
1919 Tarsistes philippii Southeast Pacific
1873 Trygonorrhina dumerilii Southwest Pacific
1841 Trygonorrhina fasciata Southern fiddler ray Eastern Indian Ocean 126 TL
1954 Trygonorrhina melaleuca Magpie fiddler ray Eastern Indian Ocean 90 TL
1841 Zanobatus schoenleinii Striped panray Eastern Central Atlantic 100 TL
1841 Zapteryx brevirostris Lesser guitarfish Southwest Atlantic 54 TL
1880 Zapteryx exasperata Banded guitarfish Eastern Pacific 97
1896 Zapteryx xyster Witch guitarfish Eastern Pacific



Other identification tools in FishBase


Quick Identification
Identification keys
Identification by morphometrics
Identification by pictures:
          If you already know the Family, go to Search FishBase, select Family and click on 'Identification by pictures' to display all available pictures in FishBase for the family.

          If you already know the Country, go to
Search FishBase, select Country and click on 'Identification by pictures' to display all available pictures in FishBase for the country.

          If you already know the Ecosystem, go to
Search FishBase, select Ecosystem and click on 'Identification by pictures' to display all available pictures in FishBase for the ecosystem.
cfm script by eagbayani, 30.11.04, ,  php script by cmilitante, 05/11/2010 ,  last modified by cmilitante, 14/03/2013