Shovelnose Guitarfish

Description:

Body disc longer than width. Snout pointed with slight concavity before rounded tip. Body tapers into broad tail topped by two dorsal fins of equal size. Thorns (enlarged denticles) around eyes and extending in a single row along centre line of back and tail. Well developed caudal fin roughly triangular with indistinct lower lobe. Dorsum color olive to sandy brown with vague darker blotches. Ventrum pale.

Habitat:

Intertidal Inshore waters and estuaries to 13m but recorded at 91m. On sand or mud bottoms. Occasionally in sea grass beds. Ranging from Eastern Pacific from central California (San Fransisco) to the Sea of Cortez. May be locally abundant forming large aggregations. This spotting was done at the Bolsa Chica Wetlands, an estuary and bird sanctuary located next to the Pacific Ocean.

Notes:

This species of ray belongs to the order "Rajformes" and is most closely related to skates, wedgefishes and manta rays. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rajiformes