460 NOTES ON, AND DESCRIPTIONS OF AUSTRALIAN FISHES, 



Family RHINOBATIDAE. 

 Trygonorrhina fasciata Miillcr & Henle. (PI. xxxviii., fi<^. 1-2). 



Fiddler Ray. 



Trygon-orhina fasciata, Miiller & Henle, Plagiost., 1838, p. 124, PI. xUii. ; 

 Dumeril, Hist. Nat. Poiss., i., 2, 1865, p. 502; Giinther, Brit. Mus. Cat. Fish., 

 viii., 1870, p. 448; Castelnau, Proe. Zool. Soc. Vict., i., 1872, p. 223; 

 Macleay, Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S. Wales, vi., 1881, p. 373; Johnston, Proc. 

 Roy. Soc. Tasm., 1882 (1883), p. 140, and 1890 (1891), p. 39; Haswell, 

 Froc. Linn. Soc. N.S. Wales, ix., 1884, p. 107, PI. u., tig. 1-5 (skeleton) ; 

 Ogilby, Cat. Fish. N.S. Wales, 188(5, p. 5; Lucas, Proc. Roy. Soc. Vict., 

 (2), 11., 1890, p. 45; liill, Proc. Linu. Soc. N.S. Wales, (2), x., 1895, p. 

 20(3, pi. XX. (abnormality) Waite, Mem. Austr. Mus., iv., 1, 1899, p. 39, anil 

 Mem. N.S. Wales Nat. Club, ii., 1904, p. 9; Zietz, Trans. Roy. Soe. S. 

 Austr., xxxii., 1908, p. 292. 



Trigonorrhina fasciata, Garman, Mem. Mus. Comp. Zool., xxxvi., 1913, p. 287; 

 Waite, Rec. S. Austr. Mus., ii., 1, 1921, p. 27, tig. 39. 



Skin velvety, with a band of microscopic tubercles on each side of the 

 back between the shoulders and the lii-st dorsal. A row of eighteen spinous 

 tubercles on the median line of the back before the tLrst dorsal, and two more 

 behind it; a double row of tubercles across the shoulders arranged in pairs, and 

 one before and another behind each eye. Pectoral disc very little narrower than 

 long; the snout is very obtusely pointed, and the outer and posterior margins 

 are rounded. Ventrals wholly separate, tlieir length greater than the distance 

 between their bases anteriorly, but less than tlwir combined widths. Preocular 

 length equal to one-fourth the length of the pectoral disc. The length of the 

 eye is 3J in the iuterocular width, and 5 in the preocular length. Spiracle a 

 little larger than, and extending forward around the eye; its postero-exterior 

 margin with a projecting fold. Mouth almost transverse, its width almost 

 equal to three-fourths of the preoral length. Nasoral valve emarginate posterior- 

 ly, its width subequal to that of the mouth. Each nostril with a broad pos- 

 terior lobe and an inner valve. Teeth small, flattened, and smooth, and arranged 

 in a broad band in each jaw. Posterior gill-opening well behind tln^ middle 

 of the pectoral disc. 



Tail a little longer tlian the body, its breadth between the posterior in- 

 sertions of the ventrals equal to the interocular width; a marked fold commences 

 on each side behind the ventrals and is lost at the base of the caudal. First 

 dorsal scarcely lai'ger than the second, the space between the two subequal to 

 their distances from the insertions of the ventral and caudal fins. Dorsals and 

 caudal obtusely pointed terminally. 



Colour. — Light brown a))ovc, with an elaborate symmetrical pattern of 

 broad lilac fa.sciae witli dark brown borders arranged as in tlie accompanying 

 figure. Seven less definite darker cross-bands are arranged as follows : — The 

 first across and on each side of the orbital region; tlie second much broader and 

 covering the shoulders and surrounding area; the third between the posterior 

 insertions of the pectorals; the fourth between the ventrals; tlie fifth and sixth 

 at the bases of the dorsals, and the seventh aci-oss the tail. Some dark spots 

 on each side of the disc anteriorly and before the eyes. Edges of pectorals and 

 ventrals lilac. Lower surfaces white, the margins of the pectorals and ventrals 

 brown. 



Described and figured fnnii a young specimen 380 mm. long, from off 

 Sandon Bluff, New South Wales. It differs from a smaller specimen from Port 



