The common guitarfish (Rhinobatos rhinobatos) is a type of cartilaginous fish in the Rhinobatidae family. It lives in the eastern Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. This fish stays near the ocean floor and eats crustaceans, other invertebrates, and smaller fish. Female guitarfish give birth to live young. Its way of life makes it at risk from trawling and other fishing methods. Numbers of this species are getting smaller, and it has vanished from some areas of its habitat, even though its name suggests otherwise.
Description
The common guitarfish can grow to about 147 cm (58 in), but an average length is about 80 cm (30 in). The top surface is khaki-brown, and the bottom is white. It looks similar to the blackchin guitarfish (Glaucostegus cemiculus), which lives in the same areas. However, the blackchin guitarfish is usually smaller. It has larger eyes, rostral ridges that are farther apart, a longer front part of the nose, and a wider back part of the nose.
Distribution
The common guitarfish lives in the North Atlantic Ocean, from the Bay of Biscay to Angola, and in the southern part of the Mediterranean Sea. It moves slowly near the ocean floor, sometimes resting on sand or mud and partially covering itself with sediment.
Ecology
The common guitarfish is a type of fish that lives near the ocean floor, swimming just above sandy or muddy areas. It searches for food such as crustaceans, other small animals without backbones, and small fish. This fish is ovoviviparous, meaning the eggs develop inside the mother’s body, and the young are born alive. Each year, a female may give birth to one or two groups of young, with each group having four to ten fish. The pregnancy lasts about four months. At first, the young receive nourishment from their yolk sacs, and later, they get nutrients from special fluids produced by the mother’s body.
Status
The common guitarfish lives near the coast and breeds in shallow water. This makes it in danger, as it is often caught accidentally by fishing nets over much of its habitat. In the northern Mediterranean, it was once caught and brought to ports like Palermo along with the blackchin guitarfish (Rhinobatos cemiculus). However, both species are no longer found in this area and may have disappeared completely. They are also no longer seen in the Balearic Islands. Off the coasts of West Africa, the common guitarfish is caught accidentally by large shrimp fishing boats, by nets used to catch squid and octopus, and by local fishermen using gill nets. Its meat is sometimes salted and sent to other countries, and its fins are sold to Asia. It may be safer in the southern Mediterranean, where fishing is less heavy, and it is still sometimes caught. However, most of the fish caught there are not yet fully grown. For the species to survive and for fishing to remain sustainable, adult fish must be allowed to grow and reproduce. There is no special plan to protect this fish, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has classified its survival status as "critically endangered."