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Brazilian guitarfish (Pseudobatos horkelii) — Rhinobatidae

Brazilian guitarfish

Pseudobatos horkelii
Family: Rhinobatidae
CR · Critically Endangered

The Brazilian guitarfish (Pseudobatos horkelii) is a saltwater fish of the family Rhinobatidae that grows up to 138 cm.

Length
138 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
1.0–150.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Solitary
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Commonly eaten

Description

The Brazilian guitarfish is a guitarfish (Rhinobatidae) from the western Atlantic Ocean. The species has a flattened, fiddle-shaped build with a disc-shaped forebody and a sturdy, shark-like tail with two dorsal fins; it lacks a venomous spine. It lives bottom-bound on sand and mud bottoms, from the shoreline to the edge of the continental shelf. As a bottom hunter it feeds on crustaceans, molluscs and small fishes. It gives birth to live young. Through overfishing it is critically endangered. The species is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Brazilian guitarfish?

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

Where does the Brazilian guitarfish live?

The Brazilian guitarfish lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom.

How big does the Brazilian guitarfish get?

The Brazilian guitarfish grows to a maximum of about 138 cm. On average the species is around 60 cm.

Is the Brazilian guitarfish dangerous to humans?

No, the Brazilian guitarfish is harmless to humans.

Is the Brazilian guitarfish edible?

Yes, the Brazilian guitarfish is commonly eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Braziliaanse gitaarrog sourced
English name
Brazilian guitarfish verified
Scientific name
Pseudobatos horkelii
Family
Rhinobatidae
Other names
Brazilian guitarfish verified

Appearance

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

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Min depth (m)
1.0 verified
Max depth (m)
150.0 verified
Origin
Native sourced

Behaviour & biology

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

For anglers

Edibility
Commonly eaten sourced
Fishing method
Bodemvissen met natuurlijk aas (worm, garnaal of vis) op of vlak boven de bodem. 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 Pseudobatos

More from the family Rhinobatidae

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