Guitarfish are marine cartilaginous fish named for their elongated, guitar-shaped bodies. They belong to the Rhinobatidae family within Rhinopristiformes, an order of rays.
They are found across tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate waters, where they prefer living close to the ocean floor. Buried under the sediment, they forage on crabs, shrimp, clams, worms, and fish.
Their skin shade varies from olive to sandy brown and is often mottled or patterned, which helps these fish blend into their surroundings.
While most species measure around 3 to 6.5 ft (1 to 2 m) in length, the largest species, the giant guitarfish, grows exceptionally large, measuring up to 10 ft (3 m) and weighing around 500 lb (227 kg). In contrast, smaller species, like Atlantic guitarfish, measure only around 30 in (75 cm).
These fish exhibit features of both rays and sharks. They resemble rays in their flattened, wing-like pectoral fins and broad, disc-like bodies, while their posterior part resembles that of sharks, featuring two well-developed dorsal fins and a prominent caudal fin.
Their eyes lie on top of their triangular heads, while their mouths are found on the underside of their bodies.
Currently, 34 species of these fish are grouped into 3 extant genera.
Rays represent an ancient lineage of cartilaginous fishes, with the oldest unambiguous fossils dating back to the Middle Devonian Period (393 to 382 million years ago). Guitarfish, in particular, are thought to have appeared around the Lower Cretaceous Period (145 to 100.5 million years ago), though a few sources suggest they may have existed earlier, during the Jurassic Period (201 to 145 million years ago).
Though primarily marine, a few species, like the Atlantic guitarfish, are also found in freshwater and brackish water environments. They prefer living in shallow waters close to the coastline, bays, or estuaries, where they usually settle on the sandy floor.
Guitarfish are bottom-feeders that typically bury themselves in mud or sand to feed on marine invertebrates like crabs, shrimp, clams, and worms. They also prey on other fish.
On average, they live around 8 to 10 years, though they may survive as many as 15 years.
Depending on the species, guitarfish females undergo a gestation period of up to a year. During this phase, the embryo develops inside eggs within the mother’s body, and once fully developed, the young are born live (ovoviviparity). Though litter size varies across species, generally, around 2 to 12 pups are born.
Their primary predators include sharks and sea lions. A few sea birds, like great blue herons and ospreys, also prey on smaller species of guitarfish.
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