| Family: |
Rhinidae (Wedgefishes) |
| Max. size: |
124 cm TL (male/unsexed); 300 cm TL (female) |
| Environment: |
demersal; marine; depth range 0 - 60 m |
| Distribution: |
Indo-West Pacific: Red Sea, Persian Gulf (Ref. 114953). Gulf of Thailand and the Philippines to Queensland, Australia. A similar and perhaps identical species occurs in the western Indian Ocean off Mozambique and in the Gulf of Aden and is probably sympatric with the true 'Rhynchobatus djiddensis' of the western Indian Ocean and the Red Sea. Distributional range probably wider than reported, but many nominal records of Rhynchobatus djiddensis from the western Pacific and southeastern Indian Ocean cannot be identified to species. |
| Diagnosis: |
|
| Biology: |
Inhabits inshore waters on the continental shelves (Ref. 9915). Demersal on soft bottoms and near coral reefs (Ref.58048). Female specimens may reach 300 cm in length in Thailand (Ref. 9915). Feeds on bottom crustaceans, mollusks (Ref. 9915) and bottom-dwelling fishes (Ref. 114953). Ovoviviparous (Ref. 50449). Caught commonly by demersal tangle net, and to a lesser extent by trawl and longline fisheries (Ref.58048). Marketed fresh; fins prized for the sharkfin trade (Ref. 9915). |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Critically Endangered (CR); Date assessed: 03 December 2018 (A2bd) Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
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