Bignose Fanskate
CR

Bignose Fanskate

Sympterygia acuta

Declining

Photo: Photo: Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA

Overview

The bignose fanskate is a species of fish in the family Arhynchobatidae. It is found off Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay. Its natural habitats are open seas and shallow seas.

Sympterygia acuta faces severe population decline primarily due to intensive bottom trawling fisheries throughout its limited range in the southwestern Atlantic. The species is particularly vulnerable to fishing pressure due to its slow reproductive rate and restricted coastal habitat preferences. Coastal development and pollution in key breeding areas have further degraded essential nursery grounds, while climate change is altering water temperatures in its narrow depth range.

Threat summary

Habitat

This ray species inhabits shallow coastal waters and continental shelf areas of the southwestern Atlantic, typically found on sandy and muddy bottoms at depths ranging from nearshore waters to approximately 200 meters. It shows preference for temperate coastal zones with specific temperature ranges, making it particularly vulnerable to environmental changes.

MARINE· major

Conservation measures underway

Species recoveryLegislation

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Frequently asked questions

Why is Bignose Fanskate classified as Critically Endangered?
Bignose Fanskate is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. Sympterygia acuta faces severe population decline primarily due to intensive bottom trawling fisheries throughout its limited range in the southwestern Atlantic. The species is particularly vulnerable to fishing pressure due to its slow reproductive rate and restricted coastal habitat preferences. Coastal development and pollution in key breeding areas have further degraded essential nursery grounds, while climate change is altering water temperatures in its narrow depth range.
Where does Bignose Fanskate live?
Bignose Fanskate occurs in Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Bignose Fanskate?
The main threats to Bignose Fanskate are 5.4, ai-1, ai-2, and ai-3. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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