Central Sonora Coast is an important reproductive area for two shark and five ray species.  Data for Cortez Numbfish, Grey-spotted Guitarfish, Shovelnose Guitarfish, Pacific Cownose Ray, Scalloped Hammerhead, Pacific Angelshark, and Banded Guitarfish are based on artisanal fisheries monitoring.

Aggregations of female Cortez Numbfish (between 18–82 cm total length [TL]) are caught by artisanal fisheries in the area, especially during the boreal spring and summer, when pregnant females are targeted in nearshore waters. However, pregnant females are also caught the rest of the year in smaller numbers (Bizzarro et al. 2009).

The whole gestation period of Grey-spotted Guitarfish is undertaken in this area, with an embryonic diapause of six months (November–April) and embryo growth from May to October. Parturition occurs in coastal areas from June to October (Lara-Mendoza 2016; Lara-Mendoza & Márquez-Farías 2021). Between 1998–1999, gravid females were landed during all seasons (Bizzarro et al. 2009)

Pregnant Shovelnose Guitarfish with embryos in different stages of development are commonly caught all year in the area. This suggests that the whole gestation period is undertaken in Central Sonora Coast. Embryos start developing in the boreal spring when temperatures start to increase, and births take place from late June to October (Márquez-Farías 2007). During spring and summer, large aggregations of gravid females are targeted in local fisheries (Bizzarro et al. 2009).

Gravid female Pacific Cownose Ray (n = 147) were reported in landings within the region in all seasons, between 1998–2000, with a higher proportion found in the boreal summer, suggesting the importance of the area for gestation. These higher catches are related to the presence of larger near full-term embryos (~40 cm disc width [DW]) during June. In addition, neonates (~39 cm disc width [DW]) were reported, suggesting the importance of the area for parturition (Bizzarro et al. 2009).

Scalloped Hammerheads use the area around Bahía Kino as a nursery. This is based on the high presence of neonates (~48 cm TL) during the boreal summer over the span of several years between 1998–1999 and 2007 (Torres-Huerta et al. 2008; Bizzarro et al. 2009; Salomón-Aguilar 2009). These sizes are similar to the reported size-at-birth for the species (31–57 cm TL; Ebert et al. 2021). Although this information is not contemporary, there are contemporary landing records of this species that suggest that this dynamic has not changed (Saldaña-Ruiz et al. 2017).

Pacific Angelshark is commonly caught in the area by artisanal fisheries, with higher catches occurring in the boreal spring. Aggregations targeted by artisanal fisheries are composed mainly of females (>70 cm TL), with pregnant females reported during spring-fall (Bizzarro et al. 2009). In addition, individuals ~30 cm TL were reported, which is closer to the reported size-at-birth of 25 cm TL (Ebert et al. 2021). Even though these data are from 20 years ago, recent information suggest this species is still one of the most important in regional artisanal fisheries (Saldaña-Ruiz et al. 2017).

Pregnant Banded Guitarfish are present from February to July, in correlation with the rise in water temperatures. In February, uterine capsules are present, while in July, embryos are fully developed. This confirms that Banded Guitarfish use coastal waters from Sonora for all their gestation. In addition, only juveniles (~40 cm TL) are caught between October and December, suggesting that this area is used as a nursery during those months (Blanco-Parra et al. 2009).