Common name(s)

Shortnose Guitarfish, Lesser Guitarfish.

Binomial

Zapteryx brevirostris

Synonyms

Rhinobatos brevirostris, Rhinobatus brevirostris, Syrrhina brevirostris

Identification

A small guitarfish with a shovel-shaped disc and a short, broadly rounded to obtusely angular snout. Snout anterior angle approximately 106º. Rostral ridges well separated. Eyes large. Spiracle with one small posterior lobe. Preorbital length 2.1-2.5 x orbit length. Nostrils thin. Nasal curtain absent. Inner edges of nasal flaps extend well into nostril opening.
Anterior margins of disc undulate; more so in males. Pectoral apices broadly rounded. Dorsum covered in denticles of varying shapes and sizes. Ventral denticles smaller and flatter. Two short parallel rows of thorns on each shoulder. 21-23 large thorns on midline from nape to first dorsal fin.
Tail fairly robust with a pronouced caudal keel. Distance between dorsal fins equal to or slightly less than first dorsal fin base length. Dorsal fins higher than long, with broadly rounded apices and convex posterior margins. Caudal fin sub-triangular. Margin of lower caudal lobe convex. Upper caudal apex tightly rounded.

Colour

Dorsum greyish-brown to yellow-brown, sometimes with subtle dusky patches. Reddish brown to dark brown band sometimes present across snout. Lateral edges of eyes and caudal keel off-white. Ventrum pale or greyish with dusky pectoral and pelvic apices.

Size

Maximum length 66cm. Size at birth 13-16cm.