- Giant guitarfish
Taxobox
name = Giant guitarfish
status = VU | status_system = IUCN3.1
trend = unknown
image_caption =
regnum =Animal ia
phylum = Chordata
classis =Chondrichthyes
subclassis =Elasmobranchii
ordo =Rajiformes
familia =Rhinobatidae
genus = "Rhynchobatus "
species = "R. djiddensis"
binomial = "Rhynchobatus djiddensis"
binomial_authority = Forsskål, 1775The giant guitarfish, also known as the whitespotted guitarfish, is of the order ofRajiformes , being related toskate s and rays.Range
The giant guitarfish has a relatively restricted range: it is found only in the
Red Sea and the tropical westernIndian Ocean as far asSouth Africa .FishBase_species|genus=Rhynchobatus|species=djiddensis|year=2007|month=7]Description
A large fish reaching up to 3.1m long and weighing as much as 227kg. In colour it is white underneath and tan or olive green above with a black cross between the eyes, scattered white spots across the body and a pair of ocelli above the
pectoral fin s. It isovoviviparous , and a female can give birth to litters of up to 10 young.Lieske, E. and Myers, R.F. (2004) "Coral reef guide; Red Sea" London, HarperCollins ISBN 0-00-715986-2]Diet
The giant guitarfish feeds on
bivalve s,crab s,lobster s,squid and smallfish .Habitat
It is a shy fish, found from 2m to 50m depth, inhabiting areas with sandy
sea floor . These are generally around coastalreef s or reef flats, but they will sometimes venture into thebrackish waters of estuaries.Interaction with man
The giant guitarfish is harmless to
human s. It is listed as vulnerable on theIUCN red list, possibly because its flesh has an excellent taste and itsfin s are sought after inAsia n markets.References
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
