Elasmobranchii (sharks and rays) >
Rhinopristiformes (Shovelnose rays) >
Rhinobatidae (Guitarfishes)
Etymology: Rhinobatos: Greek, rhinos = nose + Greek, batis, -idos = a ray (Raja sp.) (Ref. 45335); austini: Named for Austin Ebert (a 'flat' shark enthusiast), on the occasion of his graduation from the University of Southern California.
Eponymy: Austin Ebert is a ‘flat shark’ enthusiast, who was honoured on the occasion of his graduation from the University of Southern California. He is the senior author’s nephew. (Ref. 128868), visit book page.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; pelagic-neritic. Tropical
Distribution
Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri
Western Indian Ocean: from southern KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa to north of Bazaruto Island, central Mozambique.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 115.0 cm TL (female)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
This species is distinguished by the following set of characters: no prominent thorns or tubercles on dorsal surface; distinct colour pattern of paired spots of differing sizes, some forming darker transverse bands across its back; ventral surface colour mostly white, without distinctive patterning except for a prominent teardrop-shaped black blotch extending posteriorly from rostral tip to about midpoint anterior to upper mouth; nasal lamellae 61-63; upper jaw tooth count about ca. 83-93; post-synarcual centra 177-181; total vertebral segments 193-198;total pectoral skeleton radials 67-71 (Ref. 115561).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Ebert, D.A. and O. Gon, 2017. Rhinobatos austini n. sp., a new species of guitarfish (Rhinopristiformes: Rhinobatidae) from the Southwestern Indian Ocean. Zootaxa 4276(2):204-214. (Ref. 115561)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
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Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01000 (0.00244 - 0.04107), b=3.04 (2.81 - 3.27), in cm total length, based on all LWR estimates for this body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.8 ±0.4 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): High to very high vulnerability (69 of 100).