Creatures in Crisis
Photograph of Smoothnose wedgefish (Rhynchobatus laevis), recorded as Critically Endangered
Smoothnose wedgefish (Rhynchobatus laevis). Image via Wikimedia Commons.

Critically Endangered

Smoothnose wedgefish

Rhynchobatus laevis

Smoothnose wedgefish is a shark or ray in the family Rhinidae (order Rhinopristiformes) — Rhynchobatus laevis, recorded as Critically Endangered.

Status
Critically Endangered
Scientific name
Rhynchobatus laevis
CITES
Appendix II
Taxonomy
Elasmobranchii · Rhinopristiformes · Rhinidae · Rhynchobatus

Appearance

Except for its denser white spotting, it closely resembles the eyebrow wedgefish (R. Palpebratus), but their ranges do not overlap.

Due to confusion with relatives it is poorly known, but it likely reaches at least 2 m (6.6 ft) in length.

Range and habitat

It is found in northern Indian Ocean and northwestern Pacific Ocean, ranging from the Arabian Sea and Persian Gulf east to Bangladesh, and South China Sea to southern Japan. Its natural habitat is shallow coastal seas and off the mouths of rivers. It is threatened by habitat loss and overfishing.

Pins are Wikidata “endemic to” fields. Orange dots, when present, are GBIF occurrence tiles — survey bias included.

Breeding

Sharks and rays grow slowly and have few young. A fishery that treats them as bycatch can empty a coastal form.

In crisis

Populations elsewhere are now recognized as separate species.

CITES lists this taxon on Appendix II. Confirm the current appendix on the CITES checklist.

Smoothnose wedgefish is Critically Endangered on this catalog because that is the IUCN category stored on Wikidata. Confirm the official criteria and any later count on iucnredlist.org.

Sources

Written for this catalog from the English Wikipedia article on Smoothnose wedgefish, Wikidata item Q2181461. Family and order context is original field-guide writing about the group, not a copied assessment of this one species. Wikipedia text is CC BY-SA. Not an IUCN assessment. Counts, when quoted, can change — confirm them on the recovery programme and on iucnredlist.org.

Photograph via Wikimedia Commons. Wikipedia · Wikidata · IUCN Red List.

Same genus

Photograph of African wedgefish (Rhynchobatus luebberti), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

African wedgefish

Rhynchobatus luebberti
Photograph of Giant guitarfish (Rhynchobatus djiddensis), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Giant guitarfish

Rhynchobatus djiddensis
Photograph of Rhynchobatus australiae (Rhynchobatus australiae), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Rhynchobatus australiae

Rhynchobatus australiae
Photograph of Vaquita (Phocoena sinus), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Vaquita

Phocoena sinus

Quick answers

What is Smoothnose wedgefish?
Smoothnose wedgefish is a shark or ray in the family Rhinidae (order Rhinopristiformes) — Rhynchobatus laevis.
What is the conservation status of Smoothnose wedgefish?
Critically Endangered, as the IUCN category stored on Wikidata for Rhynchobatus laevis. Confirm the official assessment on iucnredlist.org.
Where does Smoothnose wedgefish live?
It is found in northern Indian Ocean and northwestern Pacific Ocean, ranging from the Arabian Sea and Persian Gulf east to Bangladesh, and South China Sea to southern Japan.
Why is Smoothnose wedgefish in crisis?
Due to confusion with relatives it is poorly known, but it likely reaches at least 2 m (6.6 ft) in length.
Is this the IUCN Red List page for Rhynchobatus laevis?
No. This is a researched catalog account. The Red List is the assessment.
Is Smoothnose wedgefish a pet?
An animal on this catalog is in crisis in the wild. Keeping one is usually the wrong question.