The Digital Fish Library

Distribution:
Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific

Habitat:
Marine, tropical to temperate, shelves and uppermost slopes.

Remarks:
Guitarfishes are small to moderate size fishes with shark-like and skate-like features. They are characterized for having a flattened, triangular head, which is fused to the pectoral fin. They have eyes and spiracles on upper surface, two distinct shark-like dorsal fins with first dorsal behind pelvics, and a stout and spineless tail. Denticles covering body, forming a row on midline of back.

The family is found in tropical to temperate seas, depth range varies from shallow to deep water of about 400 m. Occasionally, they would bury themselves below sand or muddy bottoms when resting.

These fishes feed on small fishes and invertebrates.

This family contains four genera, Aptychotrema, Rhibatos, Trygonorrhina, and Zapteryx, with 42 species.

References: Nelson 2006; Robertson and Allen 2009