Common guitarfish
The common guitarfish (Rhinobatos rhinobatos) is a species of cartilaginous fish in the family Rhinobatidae. It is native to the eastern Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. It is a bottom-dwelling fish feeding on crustaceans, other invertebrates and fish. The females give birth to live young. Its lifestyle makes it vulnerable to trawling and other fishing methods, populations seem to be declining and it has disappeared from parts of its range. Description The common guitarfish can grow to a length of about , but a more normal length is about . The dorsal surface is khaki-brown and the underparts are white. It is very similar in appearance to the blackchin guitarfish (Glaucostegus cemiculus), which shares its distribution, but is generally smaller, has larger eyes, more widely separated rostral ridges, a longer front nasal lobe and a wider back nasal flap. Distribution The common guitarfish is found in the north Atlantic Ocean from the Bay of Biscay to Angola and in the southern Mediterranean Sea. It cruises slowly around just above the seabed, sometimes resting on the sand or mud and semi-covering itself with sediment. Ecology The common guitarfish is a benthic fish, cruising along just above the sandy or muddy