Fishes of the JVeste7^?i North Atlantic 159 



been reported under this same name from tropical West Africa" and from the Azo- 

 res,'^^ but they differed from the typical ackleyi in dermal armature and in plain colora- 

 tion without ocellar spots. 



Synonyms and References: 



Raja''^ ackleyi Garman, Bull. Mus. comp. Zool. Harv., 8, 1881: 234 (descr., Yucatan Bank); Goode and 

 Bean, Smithson. Contr. KnowL, jo, 1895: 25; also Mem. Harv. Mus. comp. Zool., 22, 1896: 25 (descr., 

 after Garman, 1881; Yucatan Bank); Jordan and Evermann, Bull. U. S. nat. Mus., 4J (i), 1896: 70 

 (descr., Yucatan Bank); Rep. U. S. Comm. Fish. (1895), 1896: 221 (listed, Yucatan Bank); Engel- 

 hardt, Abh. bayer. Akad. Wiss., Suppl. 4 (3), 1913: 102 (range); Garman, Mem. Harv. Mus. comp. 

 Zool., j6, 1913: 336, pi. 19 (descr., ill., Yucatan Bank); Jordan, Evermann and Clark, Rep. U. S. 

 Comm. Fish. (1928), 2, 1930: 25 (listed, Yucatan Bank); Beltran, List. Feces Mexicanos, 1934: 5 

 (listed, Mexico; not seen). 



Raja ackleyi (in part) Fowler, Bull. Amer. Mus. nat. Hist., 70(1), 1936: 107 (descr., after Garman; but ill. 

 after Goode and Bean and ref. to Azores from Roule, 191 2, probably are not for ackleyi^. 



Doubtful References: 



Raia''* ackleyi Goode and Bean, Smithson. Contr. Knowl., jr, 1895: pi. 7, fig. 23; also Mem. Harv. Mus. 

 comp. Zool., 22, 1896: pi. 7, fig. 23 (ident. doubtful); Jordan and Evermann, Bull. U. S. nat. Mus., 

 ^7 (4), 1900: pi. 10, fig. 31 (same ill. as Goode and Bean, 1895: pi. 7, fig. 23); Roule, Bull. Inst, oceanogr. 

 Monaco, 254, 1912: 20 (probably not R. ackleyi because dermal armature diif. and color plain; Azores). 



Raja bathyphila Holt and Byrne 1908 

 Abyssal Skate 

 Figures 30, 31 



Study Material. Two females and three males, i 17—467 mm long, from the lower 

 part of the continental slope between the offings of Chesapeake Bay and southern Nova 

 Scotia, at 835-1,188 fathoms, in U. S. National Museum." 



Distinctive Characters. The most convenient field mark for this little known species, 

 and one that separates it from all other Skates known from the North Atlantic except 

 R. olseni, is the dark brown color of the lower surface of the disc, which is darker 

 than the upper surface. R. bathyphila has been classed (incorrectly in our opinion) 

 as a synonym of the young of R. lintea (p. 165), but there is no danger of confusing 

 halfgrown or larger specimens of the two species." The anterior contour of the disc 

 is noticeably diff"erent (cf. Figs. 30, 31 with 49); the tail oi R. bathyphila is much longer 

 relatively, as are the anterior margins of its pelvic fins; the upper surface of its disc is 

 much more prickly generally; and there are only about six large mid-dorsal thorns 

 from pectoral girdle to pelvic girdle on R. bathyphila (about twice that many on R. lintea). 

 Also, the tail of R. bathyphila is thornier, and while it is the sides of the tail low down 



72. Poll (Result. Sci. Exped. oceanogr. Beige Cot. Afr. Atlant. [1948-49], 1951: 144-149. 



72a. Roule, Bull. Inst, oceanogr. Monaco, 243, 1912: 20. 73. Also spelled Rata. 74. Also spelled Raja. 



75. One specimen each at the following Albatross Sts.: 2206, Lat. 39°35' N, Long. 7i°25' W, 1,043 fathoms; 2210, 

 Lat. 39°38' N, Long. 7i°i9' W, 991 fathoms; 2691, Lat. 39°37' N, Long. 7i°o8' W, 835 fathoms; 2706, Lat. 4i°29' N, 

 Long. 65°36' W, 1,188 fathoms; and 2728, Lat. 36°3o' N, Long. 74°33' W, 859 fathoms. 



76. Very young R. lintea of proven parentage have not been seen, so far as we can learn. 



