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received: 2020-04-20                 DOI 10.19233/ASHN.2020.06
A RECORD OF RARE SPINY BUTTERFLY RAY, GYMNURA ALTAVELA 
(LINNAEUS, 1758), IN THE AMVRAKIKOS GULF (GREECE)
Saul CIRIACO, Marco SEGARICH & Carlo FRANZOSINI 
Shoreline Soc. Coop Padriciano 99, Trieste, Italy
e-mail: saul.ciriaco@shoreline.it
Spiros KONSTAS
Amvrakikos Gulf- Lefkada Management Agency, Aneza Artas, Greece
ABSTRACT
During the study of the coastal fish assemblage of the Amvrakikos Gulf with underwater visual census 
methods a specimen of spiny butterfly ray (Gymnura altavela) was sighted in the locality of Agios Georgios near 
Preveza on 12 June 2019. The specimen was observed and photographed on a sandy bottom at 9 m of depth.
Key words: Gymnura altavela, critically endangered species, brackish environment, Greece
SEGNALAZIONE DI UNA SPECIE RAIFORME RARA, GYMNURA ALTAVELA 
(LINNAEUS, 1758), NEL GOLFO DI AMVRAKIKOS (GRECIA)
SINTESI
Durante lo studio della comunità ittica costiera del Golfo di Amvrakikos, con metodi di censimento visivo 
subacqueo, un esemplare di altavela (Gymnura altavela) è stato avvistato nella località di Agios Georgios vicino a 
Preveza, il 12 giugno 2019. L’esemplare è stato osservato e fotografato su un fondale sabbioso a 9 m di profondità.
Parole chiave: Gymnura altavela, specie in pericolo di estinzione, ambiente salmastro, Grecia
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Saul CIRIACO et al.: A RECORD OF RARE SPINY BUTTERFLY RAY, GYMNURA ALTAVELA (LINNAEUS, 1758), IN THE AMVRAKIKOS GULF (GREECE), 39–42
INTRODUCTION
The spiny butterfly ray, Gymnura altavela (Linnaeus, 
1758), is a demersal batoid species present on both 
sides of the Atlantic Ocean (McEachran & Capapé, 
1984). In the western Atlantic it occurs from southern 
New England to Brazil, in the eastern part from Por-
tugal to Angola with the Canary Islands and Madeira 
included. It is also present in the Mediterranean and 
Black Seas, where it has been recorded more or less 
everywhere, but it is still considered a very rare spe-
cies. It is known to inhabit shallow marine and brackish 
waters (Weigman, 2016). Due to its rarity in the Medi-
terranean Sea it is considered a critically endangered 
species (Abdul Malak et al., 2011). It was reported in 
the central Mediterranean Sea (El Kamel et al., 2009), 
in the Adriatic Sea (Dulčić et al., 2003) and in many 
areas of the eastern Mediterranean Sea (see Özgür 
Özbek et al., 2016 and references therein). Recently, 
due to the findings of pregnant females of G. altavela 
carrying near-term embryos and small free-swimming 
specimens supposed to be neonates, Alkusairy et al. 
(2014) suggested that the area along the Syrian coast 
could be considered as a possible nursery area for G. 
altavela. 
In this contribution we would like to share the 
information about the sighting of a specimen of spiny 
butterfly ray, G. altavela, observed in the Amvrakikos 
Gulf (western Greece) on 12 June 2019. 
MATERIAL AND METHODS
The selected study area was the Amvrakikos Gulf, 
which extends over 405 km2. It is a nearly enclosed gulf 
that maintains its connection with the Ionian Sea through 
a narrow channel. It is shallow, with a mean depth of 26 
m and a maximum depth of 65 m (Rigas et al., 2003). The 
embayment and its wetlands were proclaimed a National 
Park in 2008 (Zogaris & Dussling, 2010). The Amvrakikos 
Gulf is characterized by a eutrophic environment and near-
brackish oceanographic conditions (Zogaris & Dussling, 
2010). The coastal fish assemblage in the Amvrakikos Gulf 
was studied with the use of non-destructive underwater 
visual census methods. We used 25 m long and 5 m wide 
strip transects in three localities. A specimen of spiny but-
terfly ray was sighted on the transect in the locality of Agios 
Georgios near Preveza (20.802228 N; 38.957656 E) (Fig. 
1) on 12 June 2019. It was observed on the sandy bottom 
at 9 m of depth. Photographs of the specimen were taken 
with a camera (Canon G7X Mk II) (Fig. 2). 
Fig. 1: Map of the Amvrakikos Gulf (western Greece) with the locality where the specimen of Gymnura altavela 
was sighted.
Sl. 1: Zemljevid zaliva Amvrakikos (zahodna Grčija) z označeno lokaliteto, kjer so opazovali primerek skata 
vrste Gymnura altavela.
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Saul CIRIACO et al.: A RECORD OF RARE SPINY BUTTERFLY RAY, GYMNURA ALTAVELA (LINNAEUS, 1758), IN THE AMVRAKIKOS GULF (GREECE), 39–42
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The specimen was easily recognized due to the 
peculiar shape of the disk, twice as wide as it is long. 
The tail is very short, only ¼ of the disk length, with 
one or two serrated spines. The snout is short and 
obtuse. The dorsal part is coloured with many dark 
and light spots, the ventral part is white. Juvenile and 
younger specimens have smooths skin (Bigelow & 
Schroeder, 1953). This is a large-sized batoid that can 
attain the maximum size of 1450 mm in disk width 
(Capapé, 1974). 
The specimen of spiny butterfly ray was observed 
on a shallow sandy bottom. Although the visibility 
was low, we could estimate the disk width around 
1100 mm. Also in other parts of the Mediterranean 
this species is associated with shallow areas (El Kamel 
et al., 2009). In the Gulf of Antalya, where this spe-
cies is still present, the highest mean abundance and 
biomass values were recorded at a 25 m depth and 
decreasing towards deeper areas (Özgür Özbek et 
al., 2016). Gymnura altavela is known to be present 
in coastal and brackish areas, but also in euryhaline 
waters of lagoons (El Kamel et al., 2009) and highly 
eutrophic estuaries (Silva & Vianna, 2018). The area 
of Amvrakikos Gulf where the specimen was sighted is 
characterized by high eutrophication levels of pelagic 
compartments and a degradation of demersal ones, as 
already pointed out by Piroddi et al. (2016).  
The specimen of G. altavela was found together 
with three large-sized specimens of the eagle ray, 
Myliobatis aquila. Other myliobatid rays had been 
observed in the Amvrakikos Gulf previously. Zogaris 
& Dussling (2010) reported on a sighting of twelve 
specimens of the bull ray (Aetomylaeus bovinus), two 
of them juvenile. 
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This research has been funded by MAVA Founda-
tion within the project on MPAs and fisheries in the 
Mediterranean Sea, on commission of MedPAN. Sin-
cere appreciation goes to all the management body 
personnel; the Management body and the President 
Prof. Constantin Koutsikopoulos were particularly 
active in supporting our work providing, in coordi-
nation with Mr. Dimitris Barelos, responsible of the 
managing body, two ornithological guides and three 
rangers for the support to the surveys along the coast. 
Authors wish to express their immense gratitude to 
prof. Lovrenc Lipej for his encouragement to publish 
the paper and for his help and support.
Fig. 2: The specimen of spiny butterfly ray photographed in the Amvrakikos Gulf, Greece, in June 2019. A – 
whole specimen, B – front view (Photo: S. Ciriaco).
Sl. 2: Primerek skata vrste Gymnura altavela, fotografiran 12. junija 2019 v zalivu Amvrakikos, Grčija. A – cel 
primerek, B – sprednji del primerka (Foto: S. Ciriaco). 
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Saul CIRIACO et al.: A RECORD OF RARE SPINY BUTTERFLY RAY, GYMNURA ALTAVELA (LINNAEUS, 1758), IN THE AMVRAKIKOS GULF (GREECE), 39–42
ZAPIS O POJAVLJANJU REDKEGA SKATA VRSTE GYMNURA ALTAVELA (LINNAEUS, 
1758), V ZALIVU AMVRAKIKOS (GRČIJA)
Saul CIRIACO, Marco SEGARICH & Carlo FRANZOSINI 
Shoreline Soc. Coop Padriciano 99, Trieste, Italy
e-mail: saul.ciriaco@shoreline.it
Spiros KONSTAS
Amvrakikos Gulf- Lefkada Management Agency, Aneza Artas, Greece
POVZETEK
V okviru raziskav obrežne ribje združbe v zalivu Amvrakikos so z metodo podvodnih opazovalnih cenzusov 
12. junija 2019 opazili primerek skata vrste Gymnura altavela pri lokaliteti Agios Georgios blizu Preveze (Grčija). 
Primerek so opazovali, fotografirali in posneli na peščenem dnu na globini 9 m. 
Ključne besede: Gymnura altavela, kritično ogrožena vrsta, brakično okolje, Grčija
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