Gorgona Guitarfish

Family: Guitarfishes (Rhinobatidae)
Size: Up to 90 cm (3 ft) | Weight: Up to 1.4 kg
Depth: 18 – 70m (60 – 230ft)
Distribution: Tropical Eastern Pacific (Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica).

Identification:
The rock star of the ocean floor. The Gorgona Guitarfish has a distinct body shape that looks like a mix between a ray and a shark.

• Body Shape: It features the flattened head and wings typical of a ray, but possesses the powerful tail and dorsal fins of a shark.
• Pattern: The chocolate-brown body is covered in small white spots that act as camouflage against the sandy bottom. It has a large, triangular head with pale areas around the snout.

Behavior:
A master of disguise. While often solitary, they are social creatures and can sometimes be found resting in groups (known as a “gig” of guitarfish) on the sand. This species is ovoviviparous; the female produces eggs that hatch inside her body, giving birth to live “pups”.