Chola guitarfish vs Flathead guitarfish

Pseudobatos percellens compared with Pseudobatos planiceps

Key Differences

• Chola guitarfish is Endangered while Flathead guitarfish is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Chola guitarfish	Flathead guitarfish
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class same	Elasmobranchii	Elasmobranchii
Order same	Rhinopristiformes (Rhinopristiformes)	Rhinopristiformes (Rhinopristiformes)
Family same	Rhinobatidae	Rhinobatidae
Genus same	Pseudobatos	Pseudobatos
Species	Pseudobatos percellens	Pseudobatos planiceps

Evolutionary Relationship

Chola guitarfish and Flathead guitarfish share a common ancestor at the Genus level: Pseudobatos.

Conservation Status

Chola guitarfish

EN — Endangered

Flathead guitarfish

VU — Vulnerable

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Chola guitarfish	Flathead guitarfish
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Chola guitarfish

Habitat

Native to South America, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Found in Venezuela. Currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Flathead guitarfish

Habitat

Native to South America, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Found in Chile. Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Chola guitarfish

The Chola Guitarfish (Pseudobatos percellens), also called the Southern Guitarfish, is a cartilaginous fish in the family Rhinobatidae (guitarfishes), characterised by a body plan intermediate between sharks and rays — with a flattened, ray-like disc at the front merging into a thick, shark-like tail. The species occurs in shallow coastal waters of the tropical western Atlantic from Venezuela south through Brazil, inhabiting sandy and muddy bottoms in estuaries, bays, and nearshore coastal habitats at depths generally less than 100 metres. Guitarfishes are benthic feeders, using their broad, flat rostrum to excavate sediment and uncover crustaceans, molluscs, and small fish. Like all elasmobranchs, they are ovoviviparous or viviparous, producing small litters of live pups. The IUCN classifies the Chola Guitarfish as Endangered, reflecting severe population declines caused by high levels of bycatch in trawl fisheries throughout its coastal range in Venezuela, Trinidad, and Brazil, combined with direct fishing for meat and fins. Guitarfishes globally are among the most threatened groups of marine vertebrates, with shallow coastal habitats intensively fished and offering little refuge from demersal fishing gear. Without significant reductions in fishing pressure and targeted management measures, continued decline is anticipated.