Ray
Greyspot Guitarfish
Acroteriobatus leucospilus
A shark-like ray with a wedge-shaped snout and pale spots, cruising sandy KwaZulu-Natal bottoms near reef.
Also known as greyspot sandshark, guitarfish(greyspot), rhinobatos leucospilos
- Typical size
- Commonly 60-100 cm long
- Habitat
- Sandy and rubble bottoms near reef
- Depth
- Shallow to about 100 m
The greyspot guitarfish has the flattened front disc of a ray blended into a muscular, shark-like tail, with a pointed, translucent snout. It is sandy-brown above, marked with small pale and darker spots that help it vanish against the seabed, and pale underneath.
It patrols sandy and rubble bottoms close to reef along the KwaZulu-Natal coast, using its blunt teeth to crush crabs, prawns and small shellfish. Harmless to divers, it will glide away slowly if approached and can often be observed at close range. Guitarfishes are slow to mature and sensitive to fishing pressure, so hooked fish should be released with care.