Fish Active day and night

Clubnose guitarfish

Glaucostegus thouin

iNaturalist Wikipedia

A rare gem of the Indo-Pacific, the Clubnose guitarfish is a prehistoric-looking ray with a signature 'club' snout and a shark-like silhouette. This critically endangered master of the seafloor is a bucket-list sighting for any marine enthusiast.

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Quick Identification

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Size

Can reach up to 300 cm (9.8 ft) in length; typically weights 20–50 kg (44–110 lbs) depending on age.

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Colors

Dorsal surface is typically sandy brown, yellowish, or greyish-brown; ventral (bottom) side is pale white. Juveniles may show faint spotting.

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Key Features

Distinctive swollen, club-shaped tip on the snout
Shark-like body with two large, upright dorsal fins
Broad, flattened pectoral fins forming a wedge-shaped disc
No spine on the tail unlike many other ray species

When You’ll See Them

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Activity pattern Active day and night

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Peak hours 6-9 PM, 4-7 AM

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Season Year-round

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Diet A benthic carnivore, it primarily eats crustaceans like crabs and shrimp, as well as small bottom-dwelling fish and mollusks. It uses its pavement-like rows of small teeth to crush the shells of its prey.

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Habitat Shallow coastal waters, sandy bays, muddy estuaries, and the margins of coral reefs.

Behavior

The Clubnose guitarfish is a master of camouflage, spending much of its life resting on the sandy or muddy substrate of the ocean floor. While they are capable of powerful bursts of speed using their shark-like tails, they are generally slow-moving 'bottom-dwellers' that cruise the shallows in search of prey. They often bury themselves under a thin layer of sediment, leaving only their eyes and spiracles (breathing holes) exposed to watch for danger or potential meals.

These rays are primarily solitary but can occasionally be found in small, loose aggregations where food is plentiful. They are generally shy and will glide away if approached by divers. Unfortunately, their habit of staying in shallow coastal waters makes them highly susceptible to entanglement in fishing nets, which has contributed significantly to their critically endangered status.

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Camera Tips

Capturing a Clubnose guitarfish requires specialized underwater trail camera equipment or a waterproof housing for your standard AI camera. For those with coastal 'backyards' or private docks, the best placement is near the seabed in sandy channels or 'sand flats' that transition into rocky or coral areas. These are the natural highways these fish use when moving from resting spots to hunting grounds.

Because these fish are highly sensitive to electrical fields and sudden movements, use a camera with a 'no-glow' or infrared flash to avoid spooking them at night. Mounting the camera 30–50 centimeters off the bottom, angled slightly downward, provides the best chance of capturing the unique club-shaped snout that identifies this species. Wide-angle lenses are preferred as these fish can be quite long.

To attract a Clubnose guitarfish to your camera's field of view, you can use a perforated bait box filled with oily fish like sardines or crushed crustaceans. The scent trail will draw them in as they forage against the current. Ensure your camera is securely weighted or tethered to a fixed structure, as tidal currents in their preferred habitats can be strong enough to shift lightweight equipment.

Similar Species

Species that look similar or are commonly confused with Clubnose guitarfish.

Giant Guitarfish

Lacks the bulbous, club-like swelling at the very tip of the snout seen in the Clubnose variety.

Bowmouth Guitarfish

Has a much broader, rounded head with high thorny ridges, looking significantly more 'ray-like' than the slender Clubnose.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Clubnose guitarfish are most active during crepuscular periods—dawn and dusk. While they can be seen during the day, they often use the low light of evening to hunt for crabs and small fish along the seabed.

You can attract them using a scent lure, such as a mesh bag containing crushed shrimp or oily fish. Place the camera near a sandy clearing adjacent to a reef, as they prefer these 'edge' habitats for foraging.

Their diet consists almost entirely of bottom-dwelling invertebrates. They particularly enjoy crabs, shrimp, and small flatfish, which they crush using specialized plates in their mouths.

No, they are quite rare. Due to overfishing and habitat loss, they are now listed as Critically Endangered. They are mostly found in remote coastal regions or strictly protected marine reserves.

The easiest way is the snout; the Clubnose guitarfish has a distinctively swollen, bulbous tip at the end of its rostrum, whereas the Giant guitarfish has a more uniformly pointed snout.

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