Fish Identification Photos: Pacific Cownose Ray, Rhinoptera steindachneri: The Pacific Cownose Ray is sometimes called "Golden Cownnose Ray" because of the way underwater sunlight shimmers from the dermal denticles studding its yellow-brown or golden brown smooth skin.

The Pacific Cownose Ray has a diamond-shaped body 1.7 to 1.8 times wider its length, a distinctly protruding large square blunt head with small flaps on each side, from which the name "cownose" is derived. The black tail is very slender being 2.5 times greater than the distance between the eyes and about 1.4 times longer than the length of the body. The bottom of the Pacific Cownose Ray is white. The Pacific Cownose Ray is somewhat similar in appearance to the California Bat Eagle Ray, Mylioibatis californica (black coloration, raised head, and blunt pectoral fins with pointed tips).

The Pacific Cownose Ray is one of the more abundant members of the Myliobatiformes or Stingray Order, Rhinopteridae or Cownose Ray Family, and Rhinoptera Genus, which includes the Cownose Rays.

The Pacific Cownose Ray reaches a maximum size of just over 3 feet in width and about 20 pounds in weight. It congregates in large schools of several hundred individuals traveling with synchronous movements resembling birds in flight. The Pacific Cownose Ray is found in the first 100 feet in the water column. It has a broad distribution in Mexican waters being found along the Pacific side of the Baja California peninsula south of Ensenada, throughout the Sea of Cortez and along the coast of the mainland. The Pacific Cownose Ray appears to be absent from around the oceanic islands.

Pacific Cownose Ray, Rhinoptera steindachneri: Caught with Capt. Pata in the panga Salome, La Playita, San Jose del Cabo, Baja California Sur., Mexico, on a late morning in November 2002, in 72-degree, 25 to 50 foot deep water, utilizing a chrome 6-ounce yo-yo iron on 30-pound test, 10 miles north of La Playita. Size approximately 50 inches and 40 pounds. Viewed by locals as a component of soup. A very rare catch in the Los Cabos area and was pulled out of a school of about 50 which were clearly visible and initially appeared as square stepping stones on the bottom. Description and photos courtesy John Snow. Pacific Cownose Ray, Rhinoptera steindachneri: Donated to Mexfish.com by the Mexican commercial pangueros of Todos Santos, Baja California Sur, Mexico, May 2008. Size 52 x 27 cm, tail 39.5 cm, spines 4.0 and 2.5 cm. Description and photos courtesy of John Snow.