Rhinobatos lionotus
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Rhinobatos lionotus faces severe population declines primarily due to intensive fishing pressure across its range in the Western Indian Ocean. The species is particularly vulnerable to bottom trawling and gillnet fisheries that target demersal species in coastal waters. Habitat degradation from coastal development and pollution further compounds these pressures, while the species' slow reproductive rate limits its ability to recover from fishing mortality.
Habitat
This guitarfish inhabits shallow coastal waters, sandy and muddy bottoms, and continental shelf areas in the Western Indian Ocean. It typically occurs in depths ranging from nearshore waters to approximately 200 meters, preferring soft substrates where it can bury itself for camouflage and feeding.
