Keywords
Critically Endangered
Mediterranean Sea
Elasmobranch conservation
Gulf of Taranto
How to Cite
Abstract
The Common Guitarfish, Rhinobatos rhinobatos, a demersal elasmobranch listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, has experienced severe population declines across its range, particularly in the northern Mediterranean, where it is widely considered locally extinct. This study reports two new records of R. rhino-batos from the Gulf of Taranto, on the Italian side of the Ionian Sea, representing the first confirmed sightings in this region in several decades. Given the species’ vulnerability to unselective coastal fishing practices and the ongoing pressure in shallow marine habitats, these records are of considerable conservation significance. They highlight the urgent need to map critical habitats, refine bycatch mitigation measures, and reevaluate the species’ regional conservation status. The detection of this species in areas previously thought to be devoid of it offers a rare opportunity to develop targeted management actions for its recovery.
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