Rhinobatos jimbaranensis Last, White & Fahmi, 2006
Jimbaran shovelnose ray
Jimbaran shovelnose ray

Family:  Rhinobatidae (Guitarfishes)
Max. size:  89.2 cm TL (male/unsexed); 99.4 cm TL (female)
Environment:  benthopelagic; marine
Distribution:  Eastern Indian Ocean: endemic to central Indonesia (Ref. 114953).
Diagnosis:  This species is defined by the following set of adult characters: disc wedge-shaped, width 32-33% TL, length more than 1.3 (1.35-1.39) times width; snout moderately elongate, length 3.4-3.6 times interspiracular distance, 5-5.5 times interorbital width; orbit medium-sized, 1.5-1.6 times spiracle length; nostrils weakly oblique, length 1.3-1.4 times internarial distance; preoral length 7.7-8.1 times internarial distance; anterior nasal flaps penetrating slightly into internarial space, however, well separated at their insertion; posterior nasal flaps broad; spiracular folds 2, outermost fold only slightly taller than inner fold; ridges of rostral cartilage almost parallel, converging slightly anteriorly but not constricted medially; anterior cartilage sickle shaped, pointed posteriorly; distance between fifth gill slits 3.1-3.4 times in ventral head length; prebranchial sensory pore patch obvious, extending to first gill slit; postscapular sensory canal obscure, without exposed lateral pores, not grooved; thorn patches on supraorbit, scapular region, and dorsal midline rudimentary, inconspicuous; inner margin of pelvic-fin slightly shorter than its base; interdorsal distance more than 2.5 (2.8-3.1) times first dorsal-fin base; dorsal caudal margin about 2.1 times preventral margin; upper jaw with 62-77 tooth rows; post-synarcual centra 176-180; nasal lamellae more than 50 (51-55); dorsal fin not distinctly bicolored; white spots absent on dorsal disc (Ref. 72461).
Biology:  Demersal inshore on inner insular shelf. Mainly feeds on small crustaceans (Ref. 114953). The smallest pregnant female observed from this species was 74.7 cm TL; with pregnant females having 6-11 embryos, birth size unknown, but embryos well developed at 13 cm TL (Ref. 72461). Males mature at 77-80 cm TL. Females produces litters of 6-11 pups (Ref. 114953).
IUCN Red List Status: Critically Endangered (CR); Date assessed: 19 May 2020 (A2d) Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless
Country info:  Type locality, Kedonganan fish market, Bali, MZB 12905 (holotype of Rhinobatos jimbaranensis, 57.9 cm TL, male). Caught by artisanal fishers using small demersal gill and trammel net vessels in Jimbaran Bay and landed at the nearby Kedonganan fish market at the northern end of the bay (Ref. 72461).


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