3 44 Memoir Sears Foundation for Marine Research 



4 b. Distance from level of axils of pectorals to origin of tail spine consider- 

 ably shorter than distance from level of axils of pectorals to rear margins 

 of orbits; center of back without a single large white tubercle. 

 5 a. Outer corners of disc broadly and evenly rounded. 



6 a. Pelvic fins with narrowly pointed outer corners, their anterior 

 margins about 2.5 times as long as distance between outer 

 margins of orbits. Dasyatis geijskesi Boeseman 1948, p. 363. 

 6 b. Pelvic fins with broadly rounded outer corners, their anterior 

 margins little, if any, longer than distance between outer mar- 

 gins of orbits. 



7 a. Snout anterior to orbits considerably longer than distance 

 between spiracles; anterior contour of disc concave on 

 either side of tip of snout. 



Dasyatis sahitia (Leseuer) 1824, p. 370. 

 7 b. Snout anterior to orbits shorter than distance between 

 spiracles; anterior outlines of disc weakly convex on either 

 side of tip of snout. Dasyatis say (Leseuer) 18 17, p. 378. 

 5 b. Outer corners of disc only narrowly rounded or abruptly sub- 

 angular. 



8 a Anterior margins of disc continuously though weakly concave 

 anterior to level of posterior margins of spiracles; tip of snout 

 projecting from general contour in subtriangular outline 

 (Fig. 86). 



9 a. Posterior parts of pelvics extending rearward beyond poste- 

 rior limits of pectorals for a distance as great as longitu- 

 dinal diameter of spiracle; disc naked except for tubercles 

 along midline of back and on shoulders of large specimens. 

 Dasyatis pastinaca (Linnaeus) 1758. 

 Eastern North Atlantic to North Sea, Skagerrak 

 and western Baltic; Mediterranean; south to 

 South Africa; also reported from India and 

 East Africa south to Agulhas Bank.'*^ 

 9 b. Posterior parts of pelvics extending only very little rear- 

 ward beyond level of posterior limits of pectorals; mid- 

 belt of disc, rearward from interocular region, densely 

 clothed with small rounded tubercles on half-grown and 

 larger specimens. 



Dasyatis guttata (Bloch and Schneider) 1801, p. 365. 

 8 b. Anterior margins of disc nearly straight, or at most weakly 

 sinuous, anterior to level of posterior edges of spiracles; tip of 

 snout not projecting conspicuously from general anterior con- 

 tour (Figs. 81, 83). 



43. It is not yet certain whether the Ray reported under this name from the Indian Ocean is identical with D. pastinaca 

 of the Mediterranean and eastern Atlantic. 



