Elasmobranchii (sharks and rays) >
Rhinopristiformes (Shovelnose rays) >
Rhinidae (Wedgefishes)
Etymology: Rhynchobatus: Greek, rhingchos = snout + Greek, batis, -idos = a sting ray (Raja sp.) (Ref. 45335).
Eponymy: Sidney ‘Sid’ F Cook (1953–1997) was a shark fishery conservationist and biologist. [...] (Ref. 128868), visit book page.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; pelagic-neritic; depth range ? - 70 m (Ref. 114953). Tropical
Distribution
Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri
Western Pacific: Singapore and Indonesia.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 81.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 109575)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
This species is the smallest of the wedgefishes (to 81 cm TL), it has also the lowest vertebral count (less than 107 centra). It is distinguished from its congeners by the following characters: a long, hastate snout; very strongly undulate anterior pectoral-fin margin; dorsal mainly dark and distinctively marked with white blotches; spots and streaks, with a dark cruciate marking on the interorbit; a prominent white border around the body margin; snout tip lacks dark blotches; absence of the black pectoral-fin marking; it is similar with the much larger Atlantic species (Rhynchobatus luebberti) with well-developed rostral spines, but these spines are confined to the snout tip (vs. being more numerous and extending in paired rows along the rostral ridges nearly to the eyes) (Ref. 109575).
A poorly known benthic species with restricted distribution, probably coastal. Males mature at ca. 71 cm TL, born at ca. 14 cm TL. Embryos with yolk sacs at 20.9-23.6 TL; juvenile male at 39.5 cm TL, adolescent at 64.2 cm TL and adult at size greater than 70.5 cm TL; immature females at 41.5 and 60.9 cm TL (Ref. 114953).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Last, P.R., P.M. Kyne and L.J.V. Compagno, 2016. A new species of wedgefish Rhynchobatus cooki (Rhinopristoformes, Rhinidae) from the Indo-West Pacific. Zootaxa 4139(2):233-247. (Ref. 109575)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
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Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5049 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00372 (0.00163 - 0.00845), b=3.11 (2.91 - 3.31), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.4 ±0.6 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Moderate to high vulnerability (52 of 100).
