The incredible story of the guitarfish
Can you imagine a world without music and an ocean without fish? Let's not go from sound to silence... Come and meet the guitarfish, an endangered marine species, at the Seville Aquarium.
Do you know the guitarfish? They may not be as well known as the Iberian Lynx but their situation is more worrying. It is a critically endangered species, that is, on the verge of disappearing from the wild, and for this reason the Seville Aquarium is launching a conservation and dissemination project under the name of "The guitarfish of the sea".
In the coming months you will be able to learn about this fascinating animal, its characteristics and threats, but above all, and most importantly, how we can help to prevent this animal from disappearing. Can you help us?
Do you know the guitarfish? They may not be as well known as the Iberian Lynx but their situation is more worrying. It is a critically endangered species, that is, on the verge of disappearing from the wild, and for this reason the Seville Aquarium is launching a conservation and dissemination project under the name of "The guitarfish of the sea".
In the coming months you will be able to learn about this fascinating animal, its characteristics and threats, but above all, and most importantly, how we can help to prevent this animal from disappearing. Can you help us?
Would you like to know more about me? Come and meet me in the main tank of the aquarium.
Hello! I introduce myself...
I am the giant guitarfish, some people also know me as "guitarron". My scientific name is Glaucostegus cemiculus (that's how we are known in the animal world).
I am a cartilaginous fish with a flattened shape and although my body looks very similar to that of a shark, I actually belong to the ray family. As you can see, my name comes from the characteristic shape of my body, very similar to a guitar.
Although we are harmless to the population, we face an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild (We are a "critically endangered" species according to the IUCN red list. At present, the only individuals left on the entire Mediterranean and Atlantic coast of the Iberian Peninsula are found in Andalusia, only on the coasts of Huelva and Cadiz.
We face many threats, but I would like to tell you about some of them: incidental fishing, overfishing (due to the disappearance of our target prey), the destruction of our habitat and the frequent catches for consumption in restaurants, as well as their sale in markets or poaching.
I am a cartilaginous fish with a flattened shape and although my body looks very similar to that of a shark, I actually belong to the ray family. As you can see, my name comes from the characteristic shape of my body, very similar to a guitar.
Although we are harmless to the population, we face an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild (We are a "critically endangered" species according to the IUCN red list. At present, the only individuals left on the entire Mediterranean and Atlantic coast of the Iberian Peninsula are found in Andalusia, only on the coasts of Huelva and Cadiz.
We face many threats, but I would like to tell you about some of them: incidental fishing, overfishing (due to the disappearance of our target prey), the destruction of our habitat and the frequent catches for consumption in restaurants, as well as their sale in markets or poaching.
Don't leave without your photo
The sea guitar
When you come to meet me I would like you to have your photo taken at the photocall that my friends from the aquarium have set up in the hall. All you have to do is:
1. Stand between the guitars and a super cool sculpture they have made of me.
2. Then, if you upload it to your social networks, tag the aquarium (@AcuarioSevilla) and add the hashtag #LaGuitarradelMar, as well as helping more people to get to know me, you could win annual passes to the aquarium.
How to participate? 1. Stand between the guitars and a super cool sculpture they have made of me.
2. Then, if you upload it to your social networks, tag the aquarium (@AcuarioSevilla) and add the hashtag #LaGuitarradelMar, as well as helping more people to get to know me, you could win annual passes to the aquarium.
Meet the baby guitars
"The rebellious guitarrones"
In addition to the two adult specimens that live in the Oceanarium, you can also find four "baby" guitarfish during your visit. They are in the pond in the Atlantic area, where they have created a rock group "The rebel guitarrones".
My friends "Baby guitar", "Bombostar", "Ladyaleta" and "Magicsplash" are looking for a vocalist for their group, someone to help them give us a voice and tell the world that, although we are about to disappear, there is still hope and that we can change this situation, preventing the last populations from disappearing.
My friends "Baby guitar", "Bombostar", "Ladyaleta" and "Magicsplash" are looking for a vocalist for their group, someone to help them give us a voice and tell the world that, although we are about to disappear, there is still hope and that we can change this situation, preventing the last populations from disappearing.
What can you do to help me? Let's make noise to prevent the sea guitar from being silent.
Activities on your visit
Discover all the secrets of the guitarfish
When you visit us you will be able to find out all the characteristics of this fish, its morphology, its curiosities, its threats... And you will be able to do so through two new systems:
1. 3D Hologram, a three-dimensional projection, almost magical, in which the guitarfish will come to life.
2. Interactive game in which you can learn about all the threats that these animals suffer in nature.
When you visit us you will be able to find out all the characteristics of this fish, its morphology, its curiosities, its threats... And you will be able to do so through two new systems:
1. 3D Hologram, a three-dimensional projection, almost magical, in which the guitarfish will come to life.
2. Interactive game in which you can learn about all the threats that these animals suffer in nature.