Rhinobatos whitei Last, Corrigan & Naylor, 2014
Philippine guitarfish
Philippine guitarfish

Family:  Rhinobatidae (Guitarfishes)
Max. size:  72 cm TL (male/unsexed); 84.4 cm TL (female)
Environment:  pelagic-neritic; marine
Distribution:  Western Pacific: Philippines.
Diagnosis:  This species is distinguished by the following set of adult characters: wedge-shaped disc with moderately concave anterior snout margin, width 31-35% TL, disc length 1.3-1.4 times width; snout length 3.0-3.4 times interspiracular distance, 3.9-5.2 times interorbital width; orbit medium-sized, 1.4-1.7 times spiracle length; notrils weakly oblique, length 1.3-1.6 times internarial distance; preoral length 6.8-7.8 times internarial distance; anterior nasal flaps which are penetrating slightly into internarial space but well separated at their insertion; posterior nasal flaps broad; spiracles large with two folds, outermost fold distinctly longer than inner fold; ridges of rostral cartilage almost parallel, converging slightly anteriorly but not constricted medially; anterior cartilage is subtriangular; distance between fifth gill slits 3.0-3.4 times in ventral head length; prebranchial sensory pore patch distinct, extending to just behind first gill slit; distinct postscapular sensory canal, with exposed lateral pores, grooved; thorn patches on supraorbit, nuchal and scapular regions, and dorsal midline rudimentary, non-conspicuous; in males, pelvic-fin inner margin longer than its base and in females subequal; interdorsal distance 2.6-3.2 times length of first dorsal-fin base; dorsal caudal margin 2.1-2.6 times preventral margin; upper jaw with ca. 65-92 tooth rows; post-synarcual centra, 173-179; nasal lamellae, 50-53; in adults dorsal surface brownish, covered with diffuse orange and dusky blotches, and indistinct pale spots; melanophores pronounced on dorsal surface, and dorsal fins largely pale anteriorly, darker posteriorly with a blackish blotch above the free rear tip when fresh (Ref. 97528).
Biology:  Males mature at ca. 56 cm TL, females slightly larger. Unknown life history (Ref. 114953).
IUCN Red List Status: Critically Endangered (CR); Date assessed: 12 May 2020 (A2d) Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless
Country info:  Type locality, southern Philippines, Dipolog City Public market, PNM 15189 (formerly SUML F1086 and JPAG 079)., 59.7 cm TL, adolescent male). Specimens were collected from fish markets in the central and southern parts of the country (at Danao and Cebu cities, Cebu), Baliangao and Dipolog City, Mindanao, and Bacolod, Cadiz and Dumaguete cities, Negros (Ref. 97528).


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