RHINOBATOS : GUITAR FISH
CLASSIFICATION of RHINOBATOS : GUITAR FISH
Phylum :- CHORDATA ( Notochord and dorsal tubular nerve cord present and gill-slits present).
Group :- CRANIATA ( Cranium with brain present ).
Subphylum :- VERTEBRATA (Vertebral column present ).
Division :- GNATHOSTOMATA ( Jaws and paired appendages present ).
Super class :- PISCES (Paired fins , gills and skin with scales)
Class :- CHONDRICHTHYES { =ELASMOBRANCHI } (Endoskeleton cartilaginous. Scales usually placoid. spiral valve in intestine ).
Sub-class :- SELACHI (Sharks and rays. Gills in seperate clefts. Cloaca present).
Order :- HYPOTREMATA { = BATOIDAE } (Gills-slits ventral. spiracles present. dorsal fin on tail, if present)
Family :- PRISTIDAE (Pectoral fin elongated and joined to sides of the body).
Genus :- Rhinobatos
GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION
Rhinobatos has been reported from west coast of Africa, Indian Ocean, Australia, China, Atlantic and Pacific coasts of America and Galapagos. Mostly distributed tropical and sub-tropical seas.
HABIT AND HABITAT
It is a bottom dweller. Guitarfish are bottom feeders that bury themselves in mud or sand and eat worms, crabs, and clams. Some can tolerate salt, fresh, and brackish water. They generally live close to the beach/coastline or in estuaries.
GENERAL CHARACTERSTICS OF RHINOBATOS : GUITAR FISH
- Commonly called as Guitar fish, due to its guitar-like shape. Body divided in head, trunk and tail.
- Guitarfish have a body form intermediate between those of sharks and rays.
- Sub-rhombic head tapers into a triangular snout or rostrum.
- Pectoral fins greatly expanded along the head and trunk and consequently body assumes sub-rhombic shape. Head and body are dorsoventrally compressed.
- Entire back contains a median row of minute denticles.
- Head contains a pair of eyes and a pair of spiracles closely placed to pair of eyes
- Gill-slits 5 pairs, situated ventrally.
- Tail is elongated with a caudal fin and a longitudinal fold of skin on each side.
- Paired pelvic fins near pectoral fins. First and second dorsal fins near tail region.
- Guitarfish, belong to the ancient lineage of cartilaginous fishes.
- Guitarfish are ovoviviparous; the embryo matures inside an egg inside the mother until it is ready to hatch. This is typical of rays.
ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE
It has edible value.
SPECIAL FEATURES
The fish exists from Upper Jurassic. The complete skeleton of Rhinobatus has been obtained from lithographic stone of Bavaria. Body intermediate between shark and skate.
IDENTIFICATION
Since this fish has guitar-shaped body and above features, hence it is Rhinobatos.
REFERENCES
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhinobatos
- https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Rhinobatos/classification/
- Book of Practical Zoology VERTEBRATE by S.S.LAL – Rastogi Publications.
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/rhinobatos
- SOURCES OF IMAGES – https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fishbase.se%2FFieldGuide%2FFieldGuideSummary. php%3FGenusNa me%3DRhinobato s%26SpeciesName %3Drhinobatos%2 6sps%3D%26print %3D&psig=AOvV aw2HCLDml39 gaFQgohdEzn3x& ust=16026484764 45000&source=i mages&cd=vfe&ve d=2ahUKEwj9mL D62LDsAhU7C7c AHfFVA3wQr4kD egUIARC5AQ
- https://www.goo gle.com/url? sa=i&url=https%3 A%2F%2Fen.wiki pedia.org%2Fwiki %2FCommon_gui tarfish&psig=AOv Vaw2HCLDml39g aFQgohdEzn3x&u st=160264847644 5000&source=ima ges&cd=vfe&ved= 2 ahUKEwj9mLD6 2 LDsAhU7C7cAHf F VA3wQr4kDegU I ARCtAQ
- https://www.goo gle.com/url? sa=i&url=https%3 A%2F%2Fwww.re searchgate.net%2 Ffigure%2FRhino batos-whitei-sp- nov-adolescent- male-holotype- 597-mm-TL- PNM-15189-A- Dorsal_fig1_2685 22877&psig=AOv Vaw2HCLDml39g aFQgohdEzn3x&u st=160264847644 5000&source=ima ges&cd=vfe&ved= 2ahUKEwj9mLD6 2LDsA hU7C7cAHfFVA3wQr4kDegUIARDQAQ
