UCLA

A new guitarfish is described based on 75 specimens obtained from the Gulf of California. Sixty-three morphometric measurements were taken on all specimens. Measurements were also taken on four congeners in replicates of 10 individuals. A principal component analysis and linear discriminant analysis were performed on these morphometric data for discrimination and classification. This new species is most similar to Pseudobatos productus but differs in having a narrower disc width (30-35% vs. 36-38% TL), shorter distance from nostril to disc margin (2.8%-4.0% vs. 4.2-5.2% TL), narrower disc width at anterior orbit (12-19% vs. 20-22% TL) and a narrower tip of nose width (3% vs. 4-6% TL). This species is also less densely scaled between the orbits and has less pronounced rostral thorns when compared to Pseudobatos productus. A key to the guitarfishes of the Gulf of California is provided.