Fishes of the Western North Atlantic 323 



parts of dorsals and tip of caudal membrane black. Lower surface of disc of about 

 same shade as upper surface, somewhat mottled paler and darker; pale areas around 

 mouth and gill openings; tail paler below than disc. 



Si7.e. The largest seen is 328 mm long, and a male of nearly this size has well 

 developed claspers, suggesting that the maximum length for this species is probably 

 not much greater than 400 mm. 



Developmental Stages. The egg cases have not been seen. 



Habits. All the specimens taken thus far have been trawled on hard sandy bottom 

 in depths of 210-475 fathoms. 



Range. Known only off the north central and southwest-central coasts of Cuba and 

 off St. Augustine, Florida. 



Reference : 



Cruriraja poeyl Bigelow and Schroeder, J. Mar. Res., 7 (3), 1948: 555 (descr., ill., off N. coast of Cuba). 



Genus Dactylobatus Bean and Weed 1909 



Dactylobatus Bean and Weed, Proc. U. S. nat. Mus., j6, 1909: 459; type species, D. armatus Bean and Weed. 

 From offing of South Carolina, 258 and about 270 fathoms. 2* 



Generic Characters. Rajidae with the six to eight median rays of each pectoral 

 elongated to form a narrow spatula-shaped lobe. Outer margins of pelvics so weakly 

 concave that fins are not definitely bilobed. Cranium with rostral cartilage extending 

 nearly to tip of snout (as in Raja). Tips of anterior rays of pectorals reaching almost 

 to level of tip of rostral cartilage. Characters otherwise those of the family. 



Species. D. armatus Bean and Weed 1 909 is the only species of the genus known. 



Dactylobatus armatus Bean and Weed 1909 

 Figures 77, 78 



Study Material. Immature male, 278 mm long, with small claspers, from offing 

 of South Carolina, Lat. 32°36' N, Long. 77^29' W, in 258 fathoms, and a female, 

 264 mm, from Lat. 31° N, Long. 80° W, in about 270 fathoms, in U. S. National 

 Museum. 



Distinctive Characters. The presence of a narrow spatula-shaped lobe projecting 

 from the margin of each pectoral at about its midlength gives to Dactylobatus armatus 

 an outline that has no counterpart among other batoids. 



Description. Proportional dimensions in per cent of total length. Male, 278 mm, 

 from Lat. 32°36' N, Long. 77°29' W (U. S. Nat. Mus., cotype. No. 62914). 

 Disc: extreme breadth 72.5; length 51.1. 



Snout length: in front of orbits 11.5; in front of mouth 13.3. 

 Orbits: horizontal diameter 3.8; distance between 4.0. 



24. Collected by the Albatross on October 21, 1885 and on May 5, 1886. 



