Jordan and Evcrniann. — Fishes of N'orth America. 61 



Pristis 2yccltiia(m, Latham, Trans. Linn. Soc, II, 278, 1794, "in the ocean." 



Pristis ijraiiiilosd, Blocii &. ScilNEiDEU, Syst. Iclithyol., 352, 1801, (aftor Purni), Havana. 



Prislis pedinaliis, Gi'NTUKK, Cat., viii, 437, 1870. 



Priiitiii pectiniitus, JouDAN & Gilbert, Synopsis, 875, 1883. 



Piislis inissisxippiensis, Kakinesque, Icli. Oh., 80, 1820, lower Mississippi. 



Prislis mcijdlodoii, DUMfimi,, Elusiuobranches, 470, jil. 9, fig. 4, 1870, Cayenne. 



Prislis acittiruglris, DuMfiitiL, I. c., 47'j, 1870, Martinique. 



Prktisocva, DuM^uiL, I. (-.,479, 1870, locality unknown. 



Family XXIII. RHINOBATIDiE. 

 (The Guitar Fishes.) 



Shark-like rays. Trunk gradually passing into the long and strong 

 tail, which is provided with 2 well-developed dorsal lius, a caudal tin 

 and a conspicuous dermal fold on each side ; disk not very broad, the 

 rayed portion of the pectoral fins not being continued to the snout ; no 

 consiiicuous spines, the skin being nearly smooth ; no electric organs. 

 Genera about 5 ; species about 20 ; inhabiting warm seas, distinguished 

 from the Rajid.i: chiefly by the fact that the eggs are hatched within 

 the body. The typical species are also much more elongated in form. 

 (RiiixoBATiD^E, Giinther, Cat., viii, 440-i48.) 

 «. First dorsal much behind the ventrals; anterior nasal valves not confluent. 



b. Disk subtriangular or rhombic; the snout more or less produced; skin covered with 

 fine shagreen, usually with somewhat larger sjiiues on the back of tail. 



KlIINOBATUS, 45. 



bb. Disk rhombic, the snout less produced; nasal valves dilated, e.xtending on the space 

 between nostrils; body covered with irregular tubercles and prickles instead of 

 shagreen. Zapteuyx, 46. 



bbb. Disk broad, rounded in front; nasal valves broad; body covered with shagreen, with 

 stout spines on back and tail; labial fold well developed. Platyiuunoiuis, 47. 



45. RHINOBATUS, Bloch & Schneider. 

 (Guitar Fishes.) 



lilMKibalits, Blocii & ScuNErDER, Syst. Ichth., 353, 1801, {rhinobatm). 

 Leiobuhis, Rafinesque, Curatteri, IG, 1810, (pamluratus). 



SyrrhiiKi, Mulleu & Henle, Plagiostomen, 113, 1838, {columnx — panduratus). 

 Glaiicuslegus, Bonaparte, Catulogo Metodico, 14, 1846, (rhinohalns). 



Body depressed, gradually passing into the tail. Cranial cartilage pro- 

 duced into a long rostral process, the space between the process and the 

 pectoral fin being filled by membrane ; spiracles wide, behind the eye ; 

 nostrils oblique, wide; anterior valves not confluent; teeth obtuse, with 

 an indistinct transverse ridge. Dorsal fins without spine; both far be- 

 hind the ventral fins ; caudal fin without lower lobe. Claspers slender 

 and pointed. Species numerous in warm seas, varying considerably as to 

 the form of the snout ; those with the snout shortened and the nasal 

 valves broader constituting the subgenus Leiobatus, or Syrrhina. {pivr/, 

 a shark ; fidroc, a skate.) 



Rhinobati's: 

 a. Nasal valves not extending on the space between the nostrils; disk subtriangular, the suout 

 slender and pointed. 

 I». Spiracle with two folds. 



c. Skin above everywhere closely freckled with whit ish ; ridges of rostral cartilage close 

 together, narrowly separated at base. lentioinosus, 81. 



