Taxonomy
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Chondrichthyes
- Order
- Rhinopristiformes
- Family
- Rhinobatidae
- Genus
- Rhynchobatus
- Species
- djiddensis
Habitat
Giant guitarfish inhabit shallow coastal waters, estuaries, and continental shelves with sandy or muddy bottoms, often in depths up to 100 meters. They prefer warm tropical and subtropical regions in the western Indian Ocean, Red Sea, and parts of the Southeast Atlantic.
Diet
They primarily feed on bottom-dwelling invertebrates such as crabs, shrimp, and mollusks, along with small fish and occasionally worms. Feeding occurs mainly at night when they use their snout to probe and excavate the sediment for prey.
Behavior
Giant guitarfish are generally solitary or found in small groups, spending much of their time resting on the sea floor during the day and becoming more active at night. They exhibit benthic behaviors, burrowing into sand for camouflage, and are not highly territorial but may compete for food resources.
Conservation Status
Listed as Vulnerable by IUCN.