Fishes of the Western Nortli Atlantic 327 



that Dactylobatus is one of the medium-sized if not larger members of its family, but 

 its size at maturity is not known. 



Developmental Stages. Nothing known. 



Habits. The depths of capture, 258 and about 270 fathoms, suggest at least a 

 moderately deep-water habitat. One of the two specimens taken was from a temperature 

 of about 12° C (54° F). Nothing more is known of its habits. 



Range. Known only from the upper part of the continental slope in the offing of 

 South Carolina, at the localities and depths listed (Study Material, p. 323). 



References : 



Dactylobatus armatus Bean and Weed, Proc. U. S. nat. Mus., j6, 1909: 459, pi. 38 (descr., ill., upper con- 

 tinental slope in offing of S. Carolina); Garman, Mem. Harv. Mus. comp. ZooL, j6, 191 3: 368 (descr., 

 after Bean and Weed, 1909); Jordan, Evermann and Clark, Rep. U. S. Comm. Fish. (1928), 2, 1930: 

 27 (listed, S. Carolina). 



Family ANACANTHO BATIDAE 



Characters. Rajoidea with tip of snout extended as a filament. Tail without lateral 

 folds. No dorsal fins, but with caudal membrane. Pelvics so deeply notched outwardly 

 that anterior subdivisions of fins are leg-like, of two segments, resembling pelvics of 

 the rajid genus Cruriraja (p. 314) and Typhlonarke among Electric Rays (p. 80); 

 inner margins of posterior lobes attached to sides of tail nearly or quite to tips. Skin 

 smooth everywhere, without denticles of any sort either on disc or on tail. 



Remarks. The type genus of this family, Anacanthohatis von Bonde and Swart 

 1924, is placed in the family Dasyatidae by Fowler^" and by Smith. 2' But the nature 

 of its pelvics refers it, rather, to the Rajoidea. 



Genera. Two genera are known, Anacanthohatis von Bonde and Swart 1924, from 

 the Natal Coast, South Africa, and Springeria Bigelow and Schroeder 1951 from the 

 Gulf of Mexico. 



Key to Genera 



I a. Outer margins of posterior lobes of pelvic fins not united to inner margins of 

 pectorals; snout prolonged as a simple filament. 



Anacanthohatis^^ von Bonde and Swart 1924. 



Natal Coast, South Africa. 

 I b. Outer margins of posterior lobes of pelvics united along first half to two-thirds of 



26. Bull. U.S. nat. Mus., 100 [13], 1941: 397. 27. Sea Fish. S. Afr., 1949: 71. 



28. The type and only known species was described and figured (von Bonde and Swart, Mar. biol. Surv. S. Afr., Rep. 

 3 [1922], Spec. Rep. 5, 1924: 18, pi. 23) as Leiobatis marmoratus, and Anacanthohatis was proposed as a substitute 

 in the attached "errata slip" because Leiobatis was preoccupied. The original illustration was of a female; Smith 

 (Sea Fish. S. Afr., 1949: 71, fig. 84) has recently pictured a male. A second species, dubius, included by von Bonde 

 and Swart in Anacanthohatis (Mar. biol. Surv. S. Afr., Rep. 3 [1922], Spec. Rep. 5, 1924: 19) is referred provisionally 

 to Springeria because the outer margins of its pelvics are described as fused along their anterior half with the inner 

 margins of the pectorals. But its status will remain somewhat doubtful until it is known whether it has dorsal fins 

 or not. 



