Inshore and offshore to mid-continental shelf down to 119 m. Benthic on soft substrates.

Little known of biology. Aplacental viviparous. Prasad (1951) documented litter sizes of 6 to 10 pups. Reproductive periodicity is annual in examined Rhinobatos species.

Life history parameters
Age at maturity (years): Unknown.
Size at maturity (total length cm): Unknown.
Longevity (years): Unknown.
Maximum size (total length): 215 cm TL (Compagno and Last 1999).
Size at birth (cm): Unknown.
Average reproductive age (years): Unknown.
Gestation time (months): Unknown.
Reproductive periodicity: Probably annual (based on other Rhinobatos species).
Average annual fecundity or litter size: 6 to 10 pups/litter (Prasad 1951).
Annual rate of population increase: Unknown.
Natural mortality: Unknown.

Red List Category

Red List Criteria

Version

2006

Marshall, A.D. & Last, P.R.

Kyne, P.M., Heupel, M.R. & Simpfendorfer, C.A. (Shark Red List Authority)

A large (to 215 cm total length) inshore and offshore guitarfish recorded to depths of 119 m. An Indo-Pacific species with a poorly documented distribution, but with a centre of abundance around India and Sri Lanka. Rhinobatos granulatus was once moderately abundant but is now irregularly caught in local fisheries. It is susceptible to capture in a variety of fishing gear including trawl, gillnet, line and seine net and its occurrence along inshore areas of the continental shelf makes these rays an easy target for such fisheries. The species is impacted by direct and indirect fishing pressure where the flesh is utilised and the demand for fins for the international fin trade could be a factor in the switch from subsistence fisheries to more directed, commercial export fisheries of especially the larger guitarfish in Asia. Habitat requirements are not well understood, but inshore areas are important as nursery areas and these are being impacted upon by fishing activities and environmental degradation/pollution. The entire known area of occurrence of R. granulatus is impacted by often intense and generally unregulated and unmonitored fisheries. The centre of abundance for this species, off India and Sri Lanka is impacted upon by a high level of resource utilisation, as is most of the Southeast Asian region. Fishing pressure is consistently increasing in these areas and the demand for fins for the international fin trade is helping drive landings of large guitarfish. Although exact catch data are not available this species is seen much less regularly than it was previously and declines of greater than 30% are expected to have already occurred, while fishing pressure continues unabated over this species? range and habitat.

Was most abundant off India and Sri Lanka. Once moderately abundant but now irregularly caught in fisheries.

Decreasing

Rhinobatos granulatus is fished throughout its range, both directly and indirectly. It was once moderately abundant but is now irregularly caught in local fisheries.

This large rhinobatid is susceptible to capture in a variety of fishing gear including trawl, gillnet, line and seine net and its occurrence along inshore areas of the continental shelf makes these rays an easy target for such fisheries. The species is impacted by direct and indirect fishing pressure where the flesh is utilised and the demand for fins for the international fin trade could be a factor in the switch from subsistence fisheries to more directed, commercial export fisheries of especially the larger guitarfish in areas such as Indonesia and the Philippines. Habitat requirements are not well understood, but inshore areas are important as nursery areas for Rhinobatos species and these are being impacted upon by fishing activities and environmental degradation/pollution.

The entire known area of occurrence of R. granulatus is impacted by often intense and generally unregulated and unmonitored fisheries. The centre of abundance for this species, off India and Sri Lanka, is impacted upon by a high level of resource utilisation, as is most of the Southeast Asian region. Fishing pressure is consistently increasing in these areas and the demand for fins for the international fin trade is helping drive landings of large guitarfish. Although exact catch data are not available this species is seen less regularly than it was previously and declines of greater than 30% are expected to have already occurred, while fishing pressure continues unabated over this species? range and habitat.

There is a need to acquire accurate catch data from fisheries throughout the species? distribution and to confirm presence in certain areas where it might have been previously been misidentified. Better understanding of habitat requirements and critical area/habitats is required to establish best amelioration processes.

Future management will need to consider harvest and trade management with a focus on resource stewardship and livelihood alternatives.

The development and implementation of management plans (national and/or regional e.g., under the FAO International Plan of Action for the Conservation and Management of Sharks: IPOA?Sharks) are required to facilitate the conservation and management of all elasmobranch species. See Anon. (2004) for an update of progress made towards development and implementation of National Plans of Action for countries across the range of R. granulosus.