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Bluntnose fiddlefish (Acroteriobatus blochii) — Rhinobatidae

Bluntnose fiddlefish

Acroteriobatus blochii
Family: Rhinobatidae
LC · Least Concern

The Bluntnose fiddlefish (Acroteriobatus blochii) is a saltwater fish of the family Rhinobatidae that grows up to 100 cm.

Length
100 cm
Water
Saltwater
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Solitary
Activity
Nocturnal
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Rarely eaten

Description

Bloch's guitarfish is a guitarfish from the western Indian Ocean, off the coast of southern Africa. The species grows to about 100 cm and has a form between shark and ray: a flattened, angular front with a blunt snout and a powerful, shark-like rear body with a well-developed tail. Unlike stingrays it lacks a venomous spine. As a bottom-dweller it often lies half-buried in sand and mud bottoms of shallow coastal water and searches for molluscs, crustaceans and small fish. The fish is harmless to humans. The IUCN assesses the species as Least Concern (LC).

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Bluntnose fiddlefish?

The Bluntnose fiddlefish has an elongate, eel-like body, is mainly brown and shows a plain pattern.

Where does the Bluntnose fiddlefish live?

The Bluntnose fiddlefish lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground.

How big does the Bluntnose fiddlefish get?

The Bluntnose fiddlefish grows to a maximum of about 100 cm.

Is the Bluntnose fiddlefish dangerous to humans?

No, the Bluntnose fiddlefish is harmless to humans.

Is the Bluntnose fiddlefish edible?

The Bluntnose fiddlefish is rarely eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Stompsnuitgitaarrog sourced
English name
Bluntnose fiddlefish verified
Scientific name
Acroteriobatus blochii
Family
Rhinobatidae
Other names
Bluntnose guitarfish; Guitarfish; Sandshark verified

Appearance

Size class
Extra large verified
Max length (cm)
100.0 verified
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
Brown sourced
Pattern
Plain sourced
Tail shape
Straight inferred
Mouth position
Inferior (downward) sourced
Lips
Thin sourced
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
Two separate sourced
Dorsal spines
No sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Origin
Native verified

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Social behaviour
Solitary sourced
Territorial
No sourced
Activity
Nocturnal sourced
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No sourced

For anglers

Edibility
Rarely eaten sourced
Fishing method
Vissen met natuurlijk aas (vis, garnaal, worm) of kunstaas dicht bij rif- en rotsstructuren. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Acroteriobatus

More from the family Rhinobatidae

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