1. Family Rhinidae Wedgefishes /Guitarfishes

2. Taxonomy Order Rhiniformes (or Rajiformes?) Family Rhinidae (or Rhynchobatidae?) Genus Rhynchobatus R. djidennsis (giant guitarfish)* R.australiae (white-spotted guitarfish) R. laevis (smoothnose wedgefish) R. leubberti (African wedgefish) R. spp. nov. A (roughnose wedgefish) R. spp. nov. B (broadnose wedgefish)

3. Morphology seem to be intermediate between Pristidae and Rhinobatidae elongated rostrum (without saw) large, shark-like fins- 2 dorsal batoid-like cephalic pectoral fins

4. Morphology dorsoventrally flattened large spiracles near the eyes size: TL ~300cm R. australiae- color morphs in Indonesia different species? undescribed spp.A- “dwarf” species- 82cm TL

5. Habitat and Distribution Most: Indo-West-Pacific, especially Indonesia R. luebberti- E. Atlantic all species are inshore, coastal, usually ~35m deep found near sandy beaches (KwaZulu-Natal, S. Africa) and along reef edges

6. Reproduction mature at 150cm TL, 60cm TL at birth aplacental viviparous ~4 pups/litter R. australiae- up to 19 pups/litter probably low fecundity due to typical elasmo life history characteristics

7. Prey stomach contents: crab, bivalve molluscs

8. Conservation habitat destruction bycatch (prawn fishery, Indonesia and KwaZulu-Natal)

9. Conservation targeted fisheries (fins, meat, Indonesia, Tanzania) probably among most highly desired chondrichthyans high value fins, highly palatable meat

10. Conservation easily caught in bottom set gillnets, bottom trawls

11. Conservation “protective” shark nets (KwaZulu-Natal)- but many released alive life history characteristics females caught more than males

12. Conservation IUCN Redlist: all species vulnerable, R. leubberti- endangered (W. Africa) likely to see decreasing trends due to limited distribution, continuation of unregulated fishing

13. Literature Cited Compagno, L.J.V. & Marshall, A.D. 2006. Rhynchobatus luebberti. In: IUCN 2007. 2007 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.. Downloaded on 04 November 2007.www.iucnredlist.org Compagno, L.J.V. & Marshall, A.D. 2006. Rhynchobatus sp. nov. A. In: IUCN 2007. 2007 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.. Downloaded on 04 November 2007.www.iucnredlist.org Compagno, L.J.V. & Marshall, A.D. 2006. Rhynchobatus sp. nov. B. In: IUCN 2007. 2007 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.. Downloaded on 04 November 2007.www.iucnredlist.org McAuley, R. & Compagno, L.J.V. 2003. Rhynchobatus laevis. In: IUCN 2007. 2007 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.. Downloaded on 04 November 2007.www.iucnredlist.org McEachran, J.D. and N. Aschliman. 2004. Phylogeny of Batoidea. Pp. 79-114 in Biology of Sharks and Their Relatives (J.C. Carrier, J.A. Musick, and M.R. Heithaus, eds). CRC Press, Boca Raton. Stobutzki, I.C., M.J. Miller, D.S. Heales, and D.T. Brewer. 2002. Sustainability of elasmobranchs caught as bycatch in a tropical prawn (shrimp) fishery. Fish. Bull. 100: 800-821. White, W.T. and Dharmadi. 2007. Species and size compositions and reproductive biology of rays (Chondrichthyes, Batoidea) caught in target and non-target fisheries in eastern Inodnesia. J. Fish Biol. 70: 1809-1837 White, W.T. & McAuley, R. 2003. Rhynchobatus australiae. In: IUCN 2007. 2007 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.. Downloaded on 04 November 2007.www.iucnredlist.org