Galapagos Species Database
The Galapagos Species Database shares the information about the species from our Natural History Collections.
Rhinoptera steindachneri
raya dorada, Gavilán Negro, Golden cow ray, golden cownose ray
Size: To about 90 cm in disc width, Back shades of golden brown to brown and grayish brown; belly white. Whip-like tail.
Habitat: Most frequently observed gliding graceully in mid- or surface waters. Sometimes in large numbers, often frequent mangrove lagoons; not common in reef areas
Domain
Eukaryota
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Elasmobranchii
Order
Myliobatiformes
Family
Myliobatidae
Genus
Rhinoptera
Species
steindachneri
Taxon category: Accepted
Origin: Native
Distribution: Eastern Pacific fom the Gulf of California and Mexico to Galapagos. Baja and Gulf of California to northern Peru. Galápagos and Malpelo Islands.
- Appeltans, W. Bouchet, P., Boxshall, G.A., Fauchald, K., Gordon, D.P., Hoeksema, B.W., Poore, G.C.B., van Soest, R.W.M., Stöhr, S., Walter, T.C., Costello, M.J. (eds.) (2010) World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS). Available online at http://www.marinespecies.org.
- Constant, P. (2007) Marine Life of the Galapagos. The Diver's guide to Fishes, Whales, Dolphins and marine Invertebrates, 307 pp.
- Grove, J.S. Lavenberg, R.J. (1997) The Fishes of the Galapagos Islands. Stanford University Press, Stanford California. 862 pp.
- Humann, P. Deloach, N. (2003) Reef Fish Identification - Galapagos. New World Publication, Inc. Florida USA & Libri Mundi, Quito, Ecuador, 226 pp.
- IUCN (2010) IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2010.1. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 26 April 2010.
- McCosker, J.E. Rosenblatt, R.H. (2010) The fishes of the Galápagos Archipelago: an update. Proc. Calif. Acad. Sc., Ser. 4, vol. 61, Suppl. II, no. 11: 167-195.
- Smith, W.D. Bizzarro, J.J. (2006) Rhinoptera steindachneri www.iucnredlist.org
You are welcome to download and use the information found in this page, acknowledging its source.
This page should be cited as follows:
"Galapagos Species Database, Rhinoptera steindachneri", dataZone. Charles Darwin Foundation, https://datazone.darwinfoundation.org/en/checklist/?species=7857. Accessed 27 April 2026.