Glaucostegus granulatus 

Class: Chondrichthyes
Order: Rajiformes
Family: Rhinobatidae

Distribution and Habitat

  • It is found Indo-West Pacific: Persian Gulf to Thailand and Viet Nam. Possibly occurring in China, Indonesia (Sumatra, Borneo), Philippines, New Guinea, and Bougainville Islands.

Its natural habitats are open seas, coral reefs, and estuarine waters. It ranges from intertidal to offshore continental shelves down to 119 m.

About the fish

  • This fish can be said to be a combination of shark, skates and guitar fish.
  • It reaches a maximum length of 280 cm.
  • It has a wide body with tapered snout and large shark-like dorsal and tail fins.
  • The tapered anterior portion has a light pinkish triangular patches on either sides infront of the eyes.
  • Upper part is greyish brown, lower part is pale white in colour.
  • The medium-sized eyes and large spiracles, is clearly distinct in the head.
  • They breath by taking water through spiracles and release the water after extracting oxygen from ventrally placed gill slits.
  • It feeds on large shellfish.
  • Exhibit ovoviparity, this species gives live birth to litte
  • IUCN has assessed it as Vulnerable because it is widely caught by  commercial fisheries for its valuable fins and meat.