Rays of the family Rhinopteridae Bonaparte, 1835 are highly migratory and are distributed in warm waters in tropical and temperate seas. The Brazilian coast records the occurrence of 2 species, Rhinoptera bonasus and Rhinoptera brasiliensis, which, due to their large body size, are an easy target for accidental capture as bycatch in trawl fisheries, such as marine shrimp. The phylogenetic relationships of the genus are not yet elucidated, with suspicions about the validity of some species, as well as the possible presence of cryptic lineages not yet described within some species. The present study aims, through the use of the COI gene, to elucidate the phylogenetic position of the species of Rhinoptera that occur in the Brazilian coast, in relation to other valid lineages of the genus, as well as to verify the possible presence of cryptic lineages within the genus. Individuals of both species were collected along the Brazilian coast. Additional sequences from other species of the genus were downloaded from Genbank and added to the database. The results demonstrate the presence of R. brasiliensis in the Brazilian North Coast, expanding its area of occurrence in the Brazilian coast. Additionally, 2 strains of R. bonasus were recovered demonstrating that the species is formed by a species complex. The genus Rhinoptera must undergo more accurate systematic reviews for the correct elucidation of how many species make up the genus on the Brazilian coast.
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