Distribution of the Critically Endangered Giant Guitarfish (Glaucostegus typus) based on Local Ecological Knowledge in the Andaman Islands, India

For elusive, data-poor marine fauna, Local Ecological Knowledge (LEK) can be a rich and often underutilised source of biological and ecological data. We used a socio-ecological approach to assess LEK and provide key insights into the distribution, habitat use pattern, and threats facing giant guitarfishes (Glaucostegus spp.) in the Andaman Islands, India. We interviewed 175 fishers and other coastal users (SCUBA divers, coastal residents, researchers etc.), 142 of whom had seen giant guitarfishes. Due to the difficulty in distinguishing between species of this genus, this study did not attempt to collect species specific data. However, data presented here most likely refer to the Giant Guitarfish (Glaucostegus typus) as it is the only species from this family confirmed from the Andaman Islands. Our results show that LEK can be an invaluable asset in understanding the distribution of little-known species. With sightings from over 70 locations, our data indicate that giant guitarfishes occur widely and the frequent sightings of pup-sized (