FISHES OF THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS AND ADJACENT SEAS 451 



McCuLLocH and Whitley, Mem. Queensland Mus., vol. 8, pt. 2, p. 130, 1925 

 (reference). — McCulloch, Fishes New South Wales, ed. 2, p. 13, pi. 3, fig. 

 40a, 1927. 

 Pteroplatea natalensis Gilcheist and Thompson, Ann. South African Mus., vol. 

 11, p. 56, 1911 (type locality: Natal); Ann. Durban Mus., vol. 1, p. 288, 

 1916 (reference). — Von Bonde and Swart, Fisher. Marine Biol. Surv. South 

 Africa Rep., No. 3, 1922, p. 17, 1924 (reference).— Barnard, Ann. South 

 African Mus., vol. 21, pt. 1, p. 81, 1925 (Natal). 



Head to hind spiracle edge 5% in total length. Snout 1% in head 

 as seen above with short point in broad obtuse profile; orbit 4, 2l^ 

 in snout, 31/^ in interorbital ; interorbital ll^ in head. Tentacle at hmd 

 angle of spiracle variable in length, always slender and pointed. 



Tail variable, usually less half as long as disk in adult, sometimes 

 with faint dorsal and anal cutaneous folds; serrated spine minute 

 or absent; dorsal about twice long as high, more than half long as 

 inner ventral edge and its front border nearer base than terminal 

 ends of ventrals; pectorals form disk little less twice as broad as 

 long in adult, more than twice as broad in young, angles somewhat 

 rounded in both. 



Young greenish slate above, marked with irregular roundish spots 

 of dark brown and with faint and close reticulation of paler shade 

 of brown. This reticulation separates closely set roundish areas of 

 ground color. With age brown spots enlarge and assume greenish 

 color, finally become dark olive and occupy greater part of surface. 

 Faint reticulation disappears and large spots and blotches of yellow- 

 ish green develop. Tail faintly barred at all ages. Adult above 

 without minute dark dots and faint markings of tail. Young white 

 below, with age marbled and clouded darker. Keaches disk width 

 of 730 mm. (Annandale.) 



Red Sea, South Africa, India, Australia. In depths of 15 to 30 

 fathoms. I am unable to find satisfactory distinctive characters in 

 the descriptions of the nominal Pteroplatea australis Ramsay and 

 Ogilby and Pteroplatea natalensis Gilchrist and Thompson, the latter 

 only based on a j^oung male but 280 mm. wide with a nonserrate 

 caudal spine and undeveloped teeth. 



U.S.N.M. No. 39978. Cape Hawke. Australian Museum. Length, 440 mm. 



GYMNURA ZONURA (Bleeker) 



Aetoplntea zonurus Bleeicek, Verh. Batav. Genootsch. (Plagiost.), vol. 24, p. 79, 

 1852 (type locality: Batavia, Java). — Dumeril, Hist. Nat. Elasmobr., vol. 

 1, p. 631, 1865 (copied). — Garman, Mem. Mus. Comp. Zool., vol. 36, p. 411, 

 1913 (Singapore and Batavia). — Fowlek, Proc. 4th (1929) Pacific Sci. 

 Congr., Java, p. 506, 1930 (reference). 



Pteroplatea zonura Gijnthee, Cat. Fishes British Mus., vol. 8, p. 488, 1870 

 (type). — Annandale, Mem. Indian Mus., vol. 2, p. 40, pi. 4, fig. 3, 1909 (Puri, 

 Orissa coast, in 15-20 fathoms). 



