Fishes of the Western North Atlantic 



221 



down along either side of tail from about opposite tips of pelvics about to level of 

 second dorsal; a second thorn developing on some in interspace between first and 

 second dorsals, the two members of the resultant pair usually standing side by side; 

 small prickles also developing irregularly over restricted areas on snout, around and 

 between eyes, along outer anterior margins of disc, on outer parts of dorsal fins, and 

 along margin of caudal membrane. Maturing females becoming more or less prickly 



Figure 48. Raja laevis. A Ventral view of pelvics of mature male, 1,206 mm long, from off Woods Hole, Massa- 

 chusetts (Harv. Mus. Comp. ZooL, No. 36691), about 0.23 X . B Oblique view of clasper of same. C Opened 

 mouth of same, with right-hand nasal curtain turned up to show nostril, transverse curtain on roof of mouth, 

 and fleshy knobs on floor of mouth, about 0.45 X. 



over upper surface of tail, on posterior part of mid-dorsal belt of disc, on shoulders, 

 and outward from eyes; also a few strong thorns, directed forward, developing on 

 rostral ridge, with smaller thorns scattered along anterior margins of pectorals. Mature 

 males smoother, the rostral ridge, region between orbits, and the central area of disc 

 posterior to eyes with only a few sparsely scattered prickles. Tail also prickly apart from 

 its thorns. Alar spines of sexually mature males In three rows. Lower surface glossy 

 smooth on small specimens, likewise on large males except for a few prickles along 

 margins of snout; but large females are rough with small spines and prickles along a 

 narrow marginal belt from tip of snout to level of nostrils, and more or less prickly on 

 spaces between first and third gill openings of each side and on anterior parts of pelvics. 



