Philippine guitarfish explained

The Philippine guitarfish, known formally as Rhinobatos whitei, is a critically endangered species of cartilaginous fish in the genus Rhinobatos.[1] [2] [3] The species has been documented in the Pacific Ocean near the Philippines. The documented sizes of Philippine guitarfish specimens ranges between 556-720 mm for male adults and female adults exceeding 720 mm. [4] The observed characteristics of the guitarfish is the difference of morphological features, coloration, pelvic and caudal features.[5] The observation of the species is rather rare due to the lack of sightings, capturing of the species, or mixing the taxonomic features with other species of guitarfish. [6]

Morphological Features

Disc shape: The observed shape of given specimens were broadly wedge-shaped with a blunt anterior and mildly bottlenose shape, differing from other species of its form. [7]

Tail Structure: The tail is observed to be elongated and slender, observed to be thicker and proximally to the body and becomes more slender distally. [8]

Coloration

Blotches and spots: Rusty brown blotches with faint white spots. [9]

Pelvic and Caudal Features

Pelvic Rays and Radials: Observed pelvic rays is 24-26

Caudal Centra Count: Observed caudal centra 43-48, relatively higher than other observed specimens within the species.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Philippine Guitarfish (Rhinobatos whitei) . 2024-08-29 . iNaturalist . en.
  2. Bailly, Nicolas. 2017. Rhinobatos whitei Last, Corrigan & Naylor, 2014 . 835214 . 2024-08-29 .
  3. Rhinobatos . 165472261 . 2024-08-29 . en.
  4. Last . Peter R. . Corrigan . Shannon . Naylor . Gavin . 2014-10-07 . Rhinobatos whitei, a new shovelnose ray (Batoidea: Rhinobatidae) from the Philippine Archipelago . Zootaxa . 3872 . 1 . 10.11646/zootaxa.3872.1.3 . 1175-5334.
  5. Last . Peter R. . Corrigan . Shannon . Naylor . Gavin . 2014-10-07 . Rhinobatos whitei, a new shovelnose ray (Batoidea: Rhinobatidae) from the Philippine Archipelago . Zootaxa . 3872 . 1 . 31 . 10.11646/zootaxa.3872.1.3 . 1175-5334.
  6. Moore . Abm . 2017-07-21 . Are guitarfishes the next sawfishes? Extinction risk and an urgent call for conservation action . Endangered Species Research . en . 34 . 75–88 . 10.3354/esr00830 . 1863-5407.
  7. Last . Peter R. . Corrigan . Shannon . Naylor . Gavin . 2014-10-07 . Rhinobatos whitei, a new shovelnose ray (Batoidea: Rhinobatidae) from the Philippine Archipelago . Zootaxa . 3872 . 1 . 31 . 10.11646/zootaxa.3872.1.3 . 1175-5334.
  8. Last . Peter R. . Corrigan . Shannon . Naylor . Gavin . 2014-10-07 . Rhinobatos whitei, a new shovelnose ray (Batoidea: Rhinobatidae) from the Philippine Archipelago . Zootaxa . 3872 . 1 . 10.11646/zootaxa.3872.1.3 . 1175-5334.
  9. Last . Peter R. . Corrigan . Shannon . Naylor . Gavin . 2014-10-07 . Rhinobatos whitei, a new shovelnose ray (Batoidea: Rhinobatidae) from the Philippine Archipelago . Zootaxa . 3872 . 1 . 10.11646/zootaxa.3872.1.3 . 1175-5334.

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