Thornback Guitarfish
Platyrhinoidis triseriata
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassElasmobranchii
- OrderRhinopristiformes (Shovelnose Rays)
- FamilyRhinobatidae (Guitarfishes)
- GenusPlatyrhinoidis
- SpeciesPlatyrhinoidis triseriata (Thornback Guitarfish)
The thornback guitarfish (Platyrhinoidis triseriata) is a species of ray in the family Platyrhinidae, and the only member of its genus. Despite its name and appearance, it is more closely related to electric rays than to true guitarfishes of the family Rhinobatidae. This species ranges from Tomales Bay to the Gulf of California, generally in inshore waters no deeper than 6 m (20 ft). It can be found on or buried in sand or mud, or in and near kelp beds. Reaching 91 cm (36 in) in length, the thornback guitarfish has a heart-shaped pectoral fin disc and a long, robust tail bearing two posteriorly positioned dorsal fins and a well-developed caudal fin. The most distinctive traits of this plain-colored ray are the three parallel rows of large, hooked thorns that start from the middle of the back and run onto the tail. Wikipedia →
20–30% of wildlife watchers report a Thornback Guitarfish sighting in Channel Islands National Park, based on 10 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Channel Islands National Park
📅 Monthly Probability
☀️🌙 When They're Spotted
Active throughout day and night · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Channel Islands National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
More parks will be added in future updates.
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Thornback Guitarfish in Channel Islands National Park?
About 21% of wildlife watchers report a Thornback Guitarfish sighting in Channel Islands National Park, based on 10 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Thornback Guitarfish in Channel Islands National Park?
July has the highest sighting rate for Thornback Guitarfish in Channel Islands National Park in our monthly data.