10 THE VOYAGE OF H.M.S. CHALLENGER. 



Raja plutonia. 



Raja plutonia, Garman, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zofil., vol. viii. No. 11, 1881, p. 236. 



" Disk, including ventrals, broader than long, subquadrangular, broadly rounded in 

 front and on the lateral angles ; snout forming a very blunt angle ; margin opposite the 

 gill-openings nearly straight. Tail about one and one-half times the length of the disk, 

 slender, depressed, with a cutaneous fold on each side near the extremity. Eostral 

 cartilage short, not extending to the end of the snout. Mouth moderate, slightly 

 (iurved, width equalling the distance between the outer angles of the nostrils, and 

 contained twice in its distance from the end of the snout. Teeth about thirty-two 

 series (a young specimen). Eyes large, longitudinal diameter of orbit greater than their 

 distance apart. Intcrorbital space concave, narrow ; width rather more than two and 

 one-half times in the distance of the eyes from the end of the snout. Spiracles small. 

 Anterior nasal valve tubular ; posterior reaching the mouth, free on its outer margin. 

 Hinder extremity of pectoral broad, rounded. Ventrals deeply notched, anterior portion 

 narrow, extending farther from the middle of the pelvis than the posterior 



'■ Back and tail covered with small, closely set, stellate-based scales, which boar 

 elongate, slender, compressed, backward directed points. Larger spines form a supra- 

 orbital row, and a single one stands on each side of the back of the head. The largest 

 on the body form a close vertebral series on back and tail. On each side of the shoulder 

 girdle there is an irregular series of five, and a short distance in front of each of these 

 stands one or a pair. On each side of the tail there are two series, little smaller than 

 those of the medial row. Smooth below. Very small specimens have not so many 

 spines. 



" Brown, grayish in small to purplish in the largest specimens at hand, with more or 

 less irregular transverse series of distinctly defined spots of brown, often confluent into 

 short bands, interspersed among which are spots of white of varying size and shapes. 

 Tail with cross bands of light and of dark. Dorsals dark. Entire lower surface white." 



This species was obtained during the cruise of the U.S. steamer " Blake," in from 

 229 to 333 fathoms, off the coast of Florida, in lat. 32° N., long. 78°. 



Another deep-sea Ray from the North American coast of the Atlantic has been 

 noticed by Goode and Bean' under the name of Raja granulata in the following terms : 

 " A remarkable species with tlie back and ventral surface covered with minute sharp 

 granular ossifications. Of the same type as Raja Itevis (?), and having 30-31 

 teeth on each side ; the back granulated and slate-coloured ; the ventrals distinguished 

 Ijy reticulate markings and the claspers slender and scarcely expanded." Obtained on the 

 Lc Have Bank. 



' Bull. Eittx Imt., vol. xi., 1879, p. 28. 



