Fishes of the Western North Atlantic 293 



deeply fringed, posterior (outer) margin of nostril finely so. Mouth moderately 

 arched centrally. 



Teeth about 42^50, close-set in quincunx in females to maturity, with low con- 

 ical cusp on ovate base; mature males with longer and sharper cusp. 



First and second dorsals similar in size and shape, confluent at base or with 

 short interspace; caudal membrane posterior to second dorsal only about Vs as long as 

 base of second dorsal. Pelvics deeply and sharply concave outwardly, weakly scalloped; 

 anterior margin about 57—62 "/o ^s long as distance from its own origin to rear tip of 

 pelvic; anterior lobe with narrowly rounded tip, including only two radials besides the 

 stoutest; posterior lobe moderately convex on females, less so on adult males, its rear 

 corner narrowly rounded, reaching back about Vs the distance from axils of pectorals 

 toward first dorsal. Claspers of sexually mature males reaching back about 1/3 the 

 distance from axils of pelvics toward first dorsal, their tips with blade-like expansion 

 and complex arrangement of hooked processes. 



Rostral projection from cranium triangular, forming an angle of about 40°, ex- 

 tending rigidly for about 60-75 "/o of the distance from front of cranium toward tip 

 of snout. 



Color. Upper surface of disc pale brown, mottled with irregular spots and blotches 

 of darker brown, more numerous on some specimens than on others; outer part of 

 disc with a variable number of larger rounded spots with pale centers and brown mar- 

 gins; also one on center of posterior lobe of each pelvic; tail with various brown mark- 

 ings, some forming crossbars that may number 7—8, more definitely outlined on young 

 specimens than on adults, its lateral folds whitish; upper anterior part of each dorsal 

 with a bronze blotch; another at anterior end of base of first dorsal on some specimens, 

 not on all. Lower surface of disc and of tail pale yellowish or whitish. 



Size. Apparently this species does not reach a length of much more than 400 mm, 

 for the claspers of a male 320 mm long (Fig. 64) appear to be fully formed. 



Developmental Stages. Nothing is known except that a young specimen with disc 

 only 43 mm wide bears a close resemblance to the adults. 



Habits. All specimens taken have been trawled in depths ranging from 200—285 

 fathoms. 



Range. Known only from Cochinas Bay on the south coast of Cuba and off Matan- 

 zas and Santa Clara provinces on the north coast. 



Reference : 



Breviraja colesi Bigelow and Schroeder, J. Mar. Res., 7 (3), 1948 : 559 (descr., ills., ofFN. and S. coasts of Cuba). 



Breviraja cubensis Bigelow and Schroeder 1950 

 Figures 62 (middle left), 66 



Study Material. Seventy specimens, male and female, 68—221 mm long, includ- 

 ing the type, trawled by the research vessel Atlantis off North Central Cuba at 235- 



