# Common Guitarfish (*Rhinobatos rhinobatos*)

> The common guitarfish (Rhinobatos rhinobatos) is a shark-ray hybrid shape hunted on Mediterranean and Atlantic sands. Adults reach 1 m and 7 kg, and are listed Critically Endangered.

- **Category:** Fish
- **Conservation status (IUCN):** Critically Endangered
- **Range:** Coastal Mediterranean and eastern Atlantic.
- **Canonical page:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/guitarfish/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Scientific classification

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Chordata
- **Class:** Chondrichthyes
- **Order:** Rhinopristiformes
- **Family:** Rhinobatidae
- **Genus:** Rhinobatos

## Facts at a glance

| Attribute | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Scientific name | Rhinobatos rhinobatos |
| Diet | Carnivore |
| Habitat | Sandy coastal shallows |
| Lifespan | 8–12 years |
| Weight | 4–8 kg |
| Top speed | up to 15 km/h |
| Conservation status | Critically Endangered (IUCN) |

## Half shark, half ray

A ray-like flattened front with shark-like tail and dorsal fins. Eyes on top scan for prey while camouflaged against sand.

## Crabs, worms, and small fish

Bottom-dwelling invertebrates and fish are crushed or speared on sandy shallows. Slow reproduction makes populations fragile.

## Mediterranean and eastern Atlantic

Coastal sands from the Bay of Biscay into the Mediterranean and along West Africa. Shallow habitat overlaps trawl fisheries.

## Critically Endangered on the sand

IUCN lists common guitarfish Critically Endangered. Bottom trawling and targeted harvest for meat devastated numbers across its range.

## Frequently asked questions

### Is a guitarfish a shark or a ray?

It is a rhinobatid — related to rays with a shark-like tail; common name reflects the guitar outline.

### Why is the common guitarfish Critically Endangered?

Intense bottom trawling and coastal fishing removed most individuals from sandy habitat.

### Where do guitarfish live?

Sandy coastal shallows of the Mediterranean and eastern Atlantic.

### What do guitarfish eat?

Crabs, worms, molluscs, and small fish dug from the seabed.

### Can guitarfish sting?

They lack the venomous barb of stingrays; defence relies on camouflage and flight.

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/guitarfish/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.