Shovelnose guitarfish

Pacific stingrays ( Rhinobatos productus )

The Pacific stingrays ( Rhinobatos productus ) lives on the coast of the eastern Pacific from San Francisco to the Gulf of Mexico, possibly to Mazatlan. He is quite common.

Features

Females of the Pacific stingrays are a maximum of 1.70 meters long and 18 kg, males remain significantly smaller with 1.19 meters length and 9.75 kg in weight. The diamond-shaped body of the Pacific plate guitarfish is longer than wide. The back side is sandy brown relatively smooth and plain with the exception of individual spike rows around the eyes and along the dorsal and caudal middle. The first dorsal fin is located closer to the base of the pectoral fins as the beginning of the caudal fin. The tail is thick, the tail fin of medium size, without clearly distinct lower lobe. The rostrum is long and rounded at the tip. The teeth are small and rounded. In both jaws are over 200 teeth in two rows of teeth. The spiral intestine counts 8 to 10 turns. Pacific stingrays are about 16 years old.

Way of life

The Pacific stingrays live singly or in small groups near the coast in shallow water, usually from the water surface down to a maximum of 13 meters to a depth of 91 meters. Preferred habitats are sandy and muddy bays, Seegraswiésen, estuaries and rocky reefs. Spend the day the animals usually buried in the sand to go out at night in search of food. Pacific stingrays feed on crabs, small fish, clams and worms. Go for long walks, are ovoviviparous and give birth to a litter 6 to 28 young rays, which are at birth 15 cm long.