Shovelnose Guitarfish: The Shark-Ray of the Sand

The shovelnose guitarfish looks like nature couldn't decide between a shark and a ray — a flat, pointed front end like a ray, blending into a shark-like body and tail. It cruises and rests on sandy bottoms, harmless and fascinating. Here's how to spot one near Jacó, plus five fun facts.

Shovelnose Guitarfish · Pseudobatos productus

How to spot the shovelnose guitarfish near Jacó

Look over sand flats near the reef for a sandy-brown fish with a flat, shovel-shaped snout up front and a shark-like tail behind, often resting still or half-buried. The shovelnose guitarfish's in-between shape is unlike anything else. It's harmless, but like all marine life, best watched without touching.

5 fun facts about the shovelnose guitarfish

• Half shark, half ray. Its flattened, pointed front looks like a ray, while its sturdy body and tail look like a shark — it's a ray, but a very shark-like one.
• A sand-flat specialist. It spends much of its time resting on or buried in sandy bottoms, where its coloring blends right in.
• A shovel for a snout. Its pointed, flattened snout helps it root through sand for the clams, crabs, and worms it crushes with flat teeth.
• No stinging spine. Unlike stingrays, the guitarfish has no venomous tail spine, making it a harmless, if shy, neighbor on the sand.
• Live-born pups. Females give birth to fully-formed live young rather than laying eggs, a trait it shares with its shark and ray relatives.

The shovelnose guitarfish is just one of many characters down there. See the whole cast in our Snorkel Jaco fish directory, or read real guest photos and reviews on the Snorkel Jaco reviews.