Cartilaginous Fishes of Zihuatanejo

CLASS ELASMOBRANCHII

-Sharks and Rays (Subclass Neoselachii)

-Rays (Infraclass Batoidea)

-Stingrays (Order Myliobatiformes)

-Cownose Rays (Family Rhinopteridae)

-Cownose Rays (Genus Rhinoptera)

-Golden Cownose Ray (Rhinoptera steindachneri)

The Golden Cownose Ray (Rhinoptera steindachneri) is a species of eagle ray found in the eastern Pacific Ocean. It’s notable for its its broad, wing-like pectoral fins and distinctive deeply notched snout that resembles a cow’s nose. Its body forms a wide, diamond-shaped disc that is typically golden-brown to bronze on the upper surface. Adults can reach around one meter in disc width and have a long, whip-like tail armed with one or two serrated venomous spines near the base for defense. This species inhabits shallow coastal waters, including bays, estuaries, sandy flats, and reef edges, where it feeds on hard-shelled benthic prey such as clams, snails, and crustaceans, which it crushes with strong dental plates. Golden cownose rays are highly social, often swimming in large schools and occasionally leaping from the water.

Diet

Primarily feeds on clams, mussels, oysters, snails, crabs, shrimp, and other bottom-dwelling invertebrates.
Also consumes polychaete worms and occasionally small fishes.
Uses its broad pectoral fins to stir up sediment while searching for prey, then crushes hard-shelled animals with powerful flattened tooth plates.

Range

Native to the eastern Pacific Ocean, ranging from the northern Gulf of California and the Pacific coast of Mexico south through Central America to Peru, including the Galápagos Islands.
Common along the Pacific coast of Mexico, including the Zihuatanejo region, especially in coastal embayments and estuaries.

Habitat

Inhabits coastal bays, estuaries, lagoons, sandy bottoms, mudflats, seagrass beds, and nearshore continental shelf waters.
Usually found from shallow water to depths of about 60 m (200 ft).
Frequently forms schools ranging from a few individuals to hundreds of rays and may undertake seasonal coastal movements.

Size