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Rhynchobatus immaculatus Last, ho & Chen, 2013 Taiwanese Wedgefish |
| Family: | Rhinidae (Wedgefishes) | |||
| Max. size: | 99 cm TL (male/unsexed) | |||
| Environment: | pelagic-neritic; marine | |||
| Distribution: | Northwest Pacific: confirmed from Taiwan; probably more widespread. | |||
| Diagnosis: | This medium-sized species is distinguished by the following set of characters: snout is broad, and wedge-shaped; preoral snout 19-21% TL; small eye, its length 4.1-4.5 in preorbital snout; interorbital space 2.6-2.9 in preorbital snout; about 48 tooth rows; no spines from snout; supraorbital spines are small, well differentiated, and extending from preorbit to beyond end of spiracle; predorsal spines are relatively well developed; 2 disjunct rows of 6-9 small scapular spines on each side of the disc; predorsal space 48-49% of total length; origin of the first dorsal fin is well behind origin of pelvic-fin bases; total pectoral-fin radials 65-68; vertebrae with 28-30 monospondylous precaudal centra, 124-131 precaudal free centra, 38-42 diplospondylous caudal (free) centra, 165-170 total free centra, 179-184 total centra (including synarcual centra). Colouration: dark greenish brown dorsally with a few white spots scattered on pectoral disc; no black pectoral marking; prominent row of white spots start just forward of a single white spot (above pelvic-fin origin) and coalescing posteriorly to form a white mid-lateral line on tail; orbital membrane is white with dark bar over eye; no alternating light and dark markings on the interorbital space (Ref. 94805). | |||
| Biology: | A benthic species that was recently discovered and not well known, but apparently lives in shallow water on the continental shelf. Probably feeds on bottom-dwelling crustaceans and fishes (Ref. 114953). Specimens caught are all immature that most probably the maximum length of this medium-size wedgefish could be less than 150 cm TL (Ref. 94805). | |||
| IUCN Red List Status: | Critically Endangered (CR); Date assessed: 03 December 2018 (A2bd) Ref. (130435) | |||
| Threat to humans: | harmless | |||
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