BENTHOBATIS CERVIX A. 295 



known species that to which it presents the most evident affinities is Narcine 

 limhi, originally described from Tranquebar and ranging from the East Indies 

 to Japan. These species inhabit different depths of the same waters and will 

 probably be found to be somewhat closely connected by ties of descent. 



Benthobatis marcida. 



Benthobatis marcida Bean & Weed, 1909, Proc. U. S. nat. mus., 36, p. 677, fig. 



Disk broadly ovate, as long as broad, narrowing forward. Nasal valves 

 confluent into a broad flap. Teeth flat or concave on the crown with a point 

 projecting toward or into the mouth cleft. Eyes absent or rudimentary. Spira- 

 cles large, a short distance behind the eyes, without fringes or papillae on the 

 edges. A large electric organ between head and pectorals. Ventrals adnate 

 to body and tail in their entire length; rays feeble. Fust dorsal inserted little 

 in advance of hind edge of ventrals; second dorsal much larger than the first. 

 Tail half the total length, with distinct lateral folds; caudal large, obovate, 

 subcaudal portion obliquely rounded. 



Back light faw r n color, fading toward the edges, with a few scattered spots 

 of white; lower surfaces dirty white. 



Total length 0.49, disk 0.21, body 0.245, tail 0.245, and width of disk 0.215 

 metres. 



Station 2660. Lat. 28° 40' N. ; Long. 78° 46' W.; 504 fathoms. Albatross. 



Benthobatis cervina. 



Benthobatis cervina Bean & Weed, 1909, Proc. U. S. nat. mus., 36, p. 679. 



Disk narrower than long, little wider than that of B. moresbyi, length slightly 

 less than half the total. Nasal valves confluent. Teeth rhombic, occupying 

 nearly the whole length of the jaw, flat or concave on the crown, with an acute 

 projection toward and into the mouth cleft. Eyes less reduced than those of 

 either B. moresbyi or B. marcida, possibly functional. Spiracles a short distance 

 behind the eyes. An electric organ between head and pectorals. Ventrals 

 about as in B. moresbyi. Second dorsal larger than the first. Caudal equally 

 developed in supra- and subcaudal portions, hind margin rounded. Skin loose 

 and soft. 



Back light fawn color, fading at the edges, with a few small scattered spots 

 of w r hite; beneath dirty white. 



