4y6 MYLIOBATID.K. 



Group B. CERATOPTEHINA. 

 24. DICEROBATIS. 



Cephaloptera, DumSril (preoccupied). 



Dicerobatis, BlainviUe. 



Cephaloptera ct Mobula, Aufj. Dmnen'l, Elasmohr. p. G50. 



Head free from the pectoral fin, truncated in front, on each side 

 with a straight horn-like appendage pointing forwards, which is a 

 cephalic portion of the pectoral fin. Nostrils widely separate from 

 each other. Mouth inferior, wide. Teeth in both jaws very small, flat, 

 or tubercular, in numerous series. Tail very slender, with a dorsal 

 fin between the ventrals, and with or without a serrated spine. 



Temperate and tropical seas. 



These fishes, as well as those of the following genus, are fre- 

 quently called Sea-devils, and attain to an enormous size. 



1. Dicerobatis giornae. 



Squalus edentulus, Bri'mn. Pise. Ma.ss. p. 6. 

 Gio)-na, Mem. Ac. Sc. Turin, ii. 1805, p. 4. 

 Raja glorua, Lacep. v. p. 666 ; Jenyns, 3Ia>i. p. 519. 



fabroniaua, Lacep. ii. p. Ill, pi. 5. 



Aodon comu, Lacep. i. p. 300. 



Cephaloptera giorna, Cuv. RkgneAn. ; Bisso, Lchth. Nice,]). 14; L!ur. 



Merid. iii. p. 163, pi. 6 ; Miill. 8f Henle, p. 184 ; Yarrell, Brit. Fish. 



2nd edit. ii. p. 595, or, 3rd edit. ii. p. 600 ; Valeric, in Webb 8,- 



Berthel. lies Canar. p. 97, pi. 22 ; lyumeril, Elasmohr. p. 653. 

 massena, Bisso, lchth. Nice, p. 15, and Bur. Mericl. iii. p. 164; 



Dumeril, I. c. p. 654. 

 PMobular, Duhamel, Pesckes, iii. sect. ix. p. 293, pi. 17. 

 ? Raja cephaloptera, Bl. Schn. p. 365. 

 ? Dicerobatis mobular, Blainv. Faune Franc, p. 41. 

 ? Raja diabolus, Shaw, Zool. v. 2. p. 291. 

 Cephaloptera, Thomps. Proc. Zool. Soc. 1835, p. 78; M'Coy, Ann. i^ 



Maff. Nat. Hist. 1847, xix. p. 176, pi. 11. 

 Ox-Ray, Couch, Fish. Brit. Isl. i. p. 139, pi. 33. 

 Cephaloptera fabroniana, Dumeril, Flnsmobr. p. 658. 



Teeth minute, in more than 150 series extending nearly to the 

 angles of the mouth ; those of the middle have a rounded shape. 

 Back smooth, with minute scales behind. Tail with more or less 

 numerous tubercles, and with a spine. 



Mediterranean and coasts of Europe. 



a. Fine female example, 5 feet broad. Algiers. Presented by 

 Licut.-Col. Playfair. 



2. Dicerobatis japonica. 



Cephaloptera japonica, Miill. <^- Henle, Plag. p. 185 ; Schley. Faun. 

 Japon. Poiss. p. 310. 

 Teeth very minute, obtuse tubercles, extending laterally to the angles 

 of the mouth. Tail nearly thrice as long as the body. Back rough ; 

 tail with a series of small white tubercles on each side. {M. & N.) 

 Japan. 



