FISHES OF THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS AND ADJACENT SEAS 289 



eye; internarial 3^ in head; interorbital 214, broadly and slightly 

 concave. Spiracle little greater than eye or 2% in interorbital. 



Two spines each side of snout end; 2 spines before each eye and 

 4 or 5 behind ; whole upper surface of body with scattered asperities 

 crowded though not enlarged down median line, outer margins of 

 all fins smooth ; under surface of disk smooth, except some very fine 

 close-set asperities on outer front pectoral and ventral edges. 



First dorsal very slightly longer than second or 3 in head ; caudal 

 pointed, length 1%, subcaudal li/^ in caudal; pectorals form broad 

 disk width, I14 in its length, or pectoral length 2i/^ in body length 

 to subcaudal origin; outer edge very slightly convex; ventral length 

 equals head. 



Upper surface of body nearly fa^vn color to prout's brown. On 

 head before middle numerous variable pale spots, none larger than 

 pupil, rather close set and some quite small. On back and paired 

 fins basally, scattered round to ellipsoid pale spots, largest not ex- 

 ceeding eye. Margins of paired fins very narrowly whitish, sub- 

 marginally dusky brown. Dorsals and caudal dark or dusky brown, 

 margins broadly and irregularly pale. Under surface of disk whit- 

 ish, submargins of paired fins broadly dusky all around, leaving only 

 very narrow pale edge. 



Natal. 

 A.N.S.P. No. 53011. Natal coast. H. W. Bell Marley. Length, 268 mm. 



Order Rajae 



Body typically disklike, wide, flat, edges of disk usually formed 

 by expanded pectorals. Eyes inferior. Mouth inferior, more or 

 less protractile. Gill openings 5, inferior, slitlike. Spiracles present. 

 Vertebrae cyclospondylous. Dorsal fins, when present, placed on tail. 

 No anal fin. Caudal small or wanting, tail comparatively slender. 

 Pectorals with long basal and many radial cartilages extending for- 

 ward above gill openings. 



A greatly modified group, very different from the typical sharks, 

 though with complete intergradations. Excepting the skates most 

 are ovoviviparous. 



ANALYSIS OF FAMILIES 



a'. Rhinobatoidei. Disk narrow, elongate, short to broad ; skull produced in 



median rostral cartilage, long to short ; teeth small, in pavement ; nasoral 



grooves absent or incipient ; electric organs absent or incipient ; pelvis 



transverse ; tail with 2 dorsals and well-developed caudal. 



ft'. Rostrum produced, toothed on edges ; no nasoral grooves ; pectorals not 



extended forward on side of head, disk small Pristidae 



6'. Rostrum more or less produced, not expanded in sawlike blade. 

 <f. No nasoral grooves ; pectorals extend to side of head, not reaching end 



of snout Rhinobatidae 



c\ Nasoral grooves rudimentary or absent ; pectorals extend to end of snout, 

 rostral cartilage short, large disk broad and rounded— Platyrhinidae 



