PISCES. 63 



Some species, with very long pectoral fins, and thus a very broad disc, 

 resemble in some degree the preceding genera, but have a short tail. (Sp. 

 Raja altavela L., Syst. nat. ed. X. Bonap. 1. 1. Tab. 158, from the Medi- 

 terranean Sea.) These species form the genus Pteroplatea Muell. and 

 Henle. 



Raja L. (in part). Pectoral fins surrounding the head produced 



as far as the ventral fins. Disc of body rhombic. Tail slender, 



depressed, without spur, bipinnate above, with a membranous 



border at the sides. Teeth crowded, rhombic, flat, sometimes, 



especially in males, acute. 



This genus is the most numerous in species of the family. These species 

 are often oviparous, whilst all the other rays are viviparous. 

 Sp. Raja clavata L. (and Raja ruhus Gm.), Bloch IchtJi. Tab. 83, 84, Fries, 

 EcKSTEOEM och SuNDEVALL ScancUnaviens Fislcar, Tab. 35. The body is 

 thickly beset above with small booklets and some larger spines, which arise 

 from a flat round root like the head of a nail; upper surface a dull-brown, 

 lower white ; this species becomes 2 — 3 feet large, &c. See, further, 508111 

 Sur un appareil qui se ti'ouve de chaque cote de la queue sur les poissons 

 du rjenre Raja. Ann. des Sc. Nat. 3ifeme S^rie, Tom. vii. Zool. 1845, PP- 

 195, 302. PI. 3, 4. 



The ventral fins are usually deeply incised and divided into two lobes. 

 From a species in which this was not observed, MuELLEE and Henle form 

 the genus Sympterygia. 



B. Tail fleshy, fusiform. 



Torpedo Dumer. Body covered by naked unarmed skin, dis- 

 ciform, rotundate. Tail pinnate at the point ; dorsal fin above the 

 tail, mostly double. Teeth conical, acuminate, crowded. 



Temerch Gray. Dorsal fin none. Teeth flat. 

 Sp. Temera Hardwichii Geay. 



Torpedo auctor. {Astra^^e Muell. and Henle, N archie, Henle, 

 and Torpedo Muell. and Henle). Dorsal fin sometimes single 

 (Astrape), mostly double. Teeth acute. 



Compare J. F. M. Von Olfees, Die Gattung Torpedo in ihren natur- 

 historischen und antiquariscJien Beziehungen erlautert. Mit 3 Tafeln. Berlin, 

 183 1 ; — F. G. J. Henle Ueher Narcine, cine neue Gattung, nebst einer 

 Synopsis der electrisclien Fische. Mit 4 Steintafeln. Berlin, 1834, 4to. 



The species from'the Mediterranean all belong to the sub-genus Toi'pedo 

 of the moderns; the exotic species to Narcine {Narcine and Astrape), with 

 small teeth in alternate rows on a plate projecting from the mouth. The 

 name Raja Torpedo of the Systema naturce is a collective name, for LlN- 

 NiEUS referred all his descriptions of these fishes to a single species. 



These fishes (NdpKri, Torpedo, Ziiterroche, Krampfrosclie) have 

 been long known, and were recorded by the antients on account of 



