Bowmouth Guitarfish

The bowmouth guitarfish, mud skate, or shark ray (Rhina ancylostoma, sometimes misgendered ancylostomus) is a species of ray related to guitarfishes and skates, and the sole member of the family Rhinidae. It is found widely in the tropical coastal waters of the Indo-Pacific region, at depths of up to 90 m (300 ft). Highly distinctive in appearance, the bowmouth guitarfish has a wide, thick body with a blunt snout and large, shark-like dorsal and tail fins. The line of its mouth is strongly undulating, and there are multiple thorny ridges over its head and back. It has dorsal color pattern of many white spots over a bluish gray to brown background, with a pair of prominent markings over the pectoral fins. This large species can grow to 2.7 m (8.9 ft) long and 135 kg (300 lb).

Strong-swimming and demersal in nature, the bowmouth guitarfish prefers sandy or muddy flats and areas adjacent to reefs, where it hunts for crustaceans, molluscs, and bony fishes. Reproduction is aplacental viviparous, with recorded litter sizes ranging from 4 to 9. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has assessed this species as Vulnerable; its sizable pectoral fins are greatly valued as food and it is widely caught by artisanal and commercial fisheries. Its thorns and propensity for damaging netted catches, however, cause it to be viewed as a nuisance by trawlers. Habitat destruction and degradation likely pose an additional, significant challenge to this species' survival. The bowmouth guitarfish adapts relatively well to captivity and is displayed in some public aquariums.