Come see these incredible creatures, also known as bowmouth guitarfish. They are considered the "pandas" of the aquatic world because they are so rare in any aquarium setting. There are less than 10 locations in the WORLD with SHARK RAYS on exhibit. SHARK RAYS are native to Indo-Pacific waters.
It is believed the name SHARK RAY was derived from its shark like dorsal fins and ray like flat underside. SHARK RAYS have a rounded snout and a head that is distinctly separate from the pectoral fins (or the fins used for swimming). The SHARK RAYS looks “pre-historic” with horn like ridges along the head and back. They are born with unique leopard like spots on their backs that stay with them. No two SHARK RAYS will have a spotted pattern that match. SHARK RAYS can grow to be nine feet long and weigh 298 pounds.
Don’t forget to breathe.
After all, you’re coming face-to-face with 760,000 gallons of seawater. Go ahead. Press your nose against one of the two movie-screen-sized windows. It’s all that separates you from a 350-pound Loggerhead Sea Turtle, Cownose Stingrays and a school of over 2,000 Blueback Herring.
I'm a Shark Ray! Common Name: Shark Ray, Bowmouth Guitarfish Latin Name: Rhina ancylostoma Size: Up to 9 feet and 300 lbs Range: Indian and Western Pacific Oceans Habitat: Shallow coastal waters and coral reefs, 10 to 250 feet deep Diet: Mollusks and Crustaceans Interesting Fact: Also called the Sharkfin Guitarfish and the Mud Skate On Exhibit: In Ocean Realm in Zone A.
General Description:
It's no secret that we have rare animals here at Adventure Aquarium. We are one of only two aquarium's in the country with a Great Hammerhead Shark on exhibit, and one of only two aquarium's in the continental US with a Tiger Shark! Little is known about the strange and beautiful Shark Rays. We do know one thing for sure, though; they're definitely unique-looking. Their front half is wide and flat like a stingray, and their back half is long and slender, with tall fins, like a shark. That's where the Shark Ray name comes from, because they resemble both sharks and stingrays. But are they a shark or a ray? The answer is….neither! They are actually guitarfish, and while guitarfish are in the same family as sharks, rays, skates, and sawfish, they are in a category all their own. A Shark Ray is also known as a Bowmouth Guitarfish. All the members of the guitarfish family have a wide, flat head, and a long skinny tail, so if you look at them from above or below, they look like a guitar. The species we have is called a "Bowmouth" Guitarfish because its mouth is curved like a longbow. As if these animals' half-ray-half-shark appearance wasn't enough, they're also uniquely colored. Like most sharks and rays, they have a white underside. But on top, they're brown with lots of black and white spots. Plus, they have thorny ridges that run down the tops of their heads. Why? So they can head-butt their enemies! We have three Shark Rays on exhibit in our 760,000-gallon Ocean Realm exhibit. Two of our Shark Rays are female, and their names are Pearl and Opal. Our third is a male, and his name is Einstein. As you probably guessed, their unique appearance makes them pretty easy to spot. So, if you're into strange-looking animals, or at least rare ones, stop by Adventure Aquarium and get a glimpse of our awesome Shark Rays! Few people have ever seen one up close, and now you can be one of them!
See video of our Shark Rays shot from inside Gill's Clubhouse!
After all, you’re coming face-to-face with 760,000 gallons of seawater. Go ahead. Press your nose against one of the two movie-screen-sized windows. It’s all that separates you from a 350-pound Loggerhead Sea Turtle, Cownose Stingrays and a school of over 2,000 Blueback Herring. 
