Banded Guitarfish
Zapteryx exasperata
Physical Description
- A ray with body in shape of round disc, then a long tail with two high dorsal (back) fins of equal size.
- They have a broad rounded snout and 60-75 small blunt teeth.
- Sandy brown to dark gray coloration on back with prominent dark blotches and bars, especially prominent on eyes and rounded snout.
- Lighter coloration below with dark spots on edges of fins.
Range
- Southern California to Baja California, Mexico.
- Gulf of California, Mexico.
Habitat
- Found in rocky shallow areas, moving offshore into sandy bottoms in autumn and winter.
- Can be found in tide pools, bays, lagoons, and caves as well.
- Live at depths of 0 to 650 feet; but mainly in 0 to 30 feet depths.
Reproduction
- Females mature at 22-30 inches length, and males mature at 25-27.5 inches.
- They are ovoviviparous, meaning a female gives birth to live young after incubating them in eggs inside her.
- Females often give birth to litters of 4-11 pups.
Diet
- Mollusks and crustaceans are eaten by juveniles.
- Midshipmen, California anchovy, striped cusk eel, demersal and pelagic fish, crustaceans, squid, mantis shrimp, hermit crabs, are eaten by adults.
Predators
- Humans.
- Upper-trophic level predator (meaning high up the food chain).
Interesting Facts
- Their latin name comes from “made rough” due to their prickly skin.
- There is a large artisanal fishery for them in Baja California, Mexico.
Sources: Fishbase; elasmodiver.com; Cervantes-Guitterez et al. 2017; Dana Point Fishing Company; Blanca-Parra et al. 2012
Photo: Herb Gruenhagen
