Elasmobranchii (sharks and rays) >
Rhinopristiformes (Shovelnose rays) >
Glaucostegidae (Giant guitarfishes)
Eponymy: André Thouin (1746–1824) was a French botanist and a colleague of Lacépède’s at Le Jardin des Plantes (Muséum Nationale d’Histoire Naturelle), Paris. [...] (Ref. 128868), visit book page.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; benthopelagic; depth range ? - 60 m (Ref. 114953). Tropical; 28°N - 10°S, 33°E - 120°E (Ref. 114953)
Indo-West Pacific: Red Sea, India (including Sri Lanka) to Indonesia, north to Japan (Ref. 114953). Australian and old records from the Mediterranean Sea and Suriname need confirmation.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 300 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 58048)
Found inshore (Ref. 9909) and offshore (Ref. 58784). A carnivorous fish that feeds on large shellfishes (Ref. 58784). Ovoviviparous (Ref. 50449). Biology little known (Ref. 9909). Caught occasionally by demersal tangle net fisheries operating throughout the area. Utilized for its meat, find (both very high value), skin and cartilage (Ref.58048). Marketed fresh and probably dried-salted (Ref. 9909).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Exhibit ovoviparity (aplacental viviparity), with embryos feeding initially on yolk, then receiving additional nourishment from the mother by indirect absorption of uterine fluid enriched with mucus, fat or protein through specialised structures (Ref. 50449).
Compagno, L.J.V., 1999. Checklist of living elasmobranchs. p. 471-498. In W.C. Hamlett (ed.) Sharks, skates, and rays: the biology of elasmobranch fishes. Johns Hopkins University Press, Maryland. (Ref. 35766)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: commercial
Tools
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Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature (Ref.
123201): 24.8 - 29.1, mean 28.1 °C (based on 1958 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5156 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00363 (0.00143 - 0.00920), b=3.09 (2.87 - 3.31), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.5 ±0.37 se; based on food items.
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (Fec assumed to be <100).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Very high vulnerability (90 of 100).
