CR

Spineback Guitarfish

Rhinobatos irvinei

Declining

Overview

A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.

Rhinobatos irvinei faces severe population decline primarily due to intensive fishing pressure across its West African range. The species is particularly vulnerable to bottom trawling and artisanal fishing operations that target shallow coastal waters where it feeds and reproduces. Its slow reproductive rate, typical of rays and guitarfish, makes population recovery extremely difficult once numbers decline.

Threat summary

Habitat

This guitarfish inhabits shallow coastal waters, sandy bottoms, and estuarine environments along the West African coast. It typically occurs in depths ranging from nearshore waters to approximately 100 meters, preferring areas with soft substrates where it can bury itself and hunt for benthic prey.

Marine coastal/supratidal· major

Conservation measures underway

Site/area protectionSpecies recoveryAwareness & communicationsLegislationCompliance and enforcement

Other threatened species in RHINOBATIDAE

CR

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Declining
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EN

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Threatened in Angola

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Zebra DuikerVU

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Slaty EgretVU

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Frequently asked questions

Why is Spineback Guitarfish classified as Critically Endangered?
Spineback Guitarfish 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. Rhinobatos irvinei faces severe population decline primarily due to intensive fishing pressure across its West African range. The species is particularly vulnerable to bottom trawling and artisanal fishing operations that target shallow coastal waters where it feeds and reproduces. Its slow reproductive rate, typical of rays and guitarfish, makes population recovery extremely difficult once numbers decline.
Where does Spineback Guitarfish live?
Spineback Guitarfish occurs in Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Congo - Brazzaville, and Congo - Kinshasa (plus 14 other countries). Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Spineback Guitarfish?
The main threats to Spineback Guitarfish are 1.1, 1.3, 2.1, and 2.4. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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