Cartilaginous fishes of the Order Rhinopristiformes (‘rhino rays’) represent one of the most threatened groups of animals in the world. The majority of species (72%) are considered threatened with extinction according to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Overfishing and unregulated trade in their fins, meat, and other products has driven wide-scale population declines.

Rhino rays comprise five families of shark-like rays found in coastal and continental shelf waters across the globe. Sawfishes (Family Pristidae) have been the focus of considerable research and conservation effort in the last decade due to a heightened understanding of their conservation status. The non-sawfish rhino rays have more recently came into focus as their status has been shown to be as dire as that of the sawfishes.

The giant guitarfishes (Glaucostegidae; 100% Critically Endangered) and wedgefishes (Rhinidae; 90% Critically Endangered) are amongst the most severely threatened vertebrate families. Extinction risk is also elevated in the guitarfishes (Rhinobatidae; 66% threatened) and banjo rays (Trygonorrhinidae; 38% threatened). This Special Issue of ESR brings together a collection of papers from the inaugural American Elasmobranch Society (AES) Global Wedgefish and Guitarfish Symposium (in November 2021), which presented the latest research perspectives on these 4 families of rhino rays.

Articles belonging to this Special will be published upon completion in the respective volume of ESR. They will be listed below as well as on the contents page of the respective volume of publication.

For questions, contact Susanne Schüller (Managing Editor) .

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