Guitarfishes have body characteristics similar to both sharks and skates. The body is dorso-ventrally flattened and the pectoral fins are fused to the head, creating a triangle or heart shaped disc. The tail is thick ending in a well-developed caudal fin, typical of most skates. Two dorsal fins are located posterior to the pelvic fins. The combination of the disc shape and thick tail give this species its 'guitar' like shape (hence the name guitarfish).