THE STARRY RAY. 430 



Raia iiADiATA.* — The Stakky Ray. 



Specific Characters, — Upper surface rough, with large, sharp tu- 

 bercles radiated at their bases ; three rows of spines on the tail run- 

 ning up the back as far as the transverse cartilage. (Plate XLIII.) 



Description. — From a female specimen, seventeen inches in 

 length. Form of the body rhomboidal ; but not so broad in pro- 

 portion to its length as that observed in the thornback ; its trans- 

 verse diameter equalling the space between the tip of the snout 

 and the last tubercle but six on the central ridge of the tail ; from 

 the point of the snout to the tip of the pectoral fin, from thence 

 to the base of the last anal ray on the opposite side, equal ; from the 

 tip of the tail to the base of the last anal ray, from thence to the 

 posterior part of the eye about equal ; from the tip of the snout to 

 the temporal orifices about one-sixth of the whole length, caudal 

 included. Colour of the back of a pale yellowish-brown ; under sur- 

 face of a pure white. Snout obtuse extending but a very little be- 

 yond the anterior margins of the pectorals ; the outline of the front 

 of the pectorals, somewhat sinuous ; the posterior outline, especially 

 at the lower extremity, rounded. Ventrals small, about three times 

 the length of their breadth ; composed of three rays of which the se- 

 cond is rather the longest. Anals rounded at their outer margins, 

 and terminating below, free ; furnished with fifteen or sixteen rays, 

 the lower ones the longest. Dorsal fins two, placed on the lower 

 part of the tail, at a little distance from each other ; both nearly of 

 equal size and shape, rounded at the posterior border. Caudal rudi_ 

 mentary. Eyes rather large, flattened on their summits, about twice 

 the size of the temporal orifices, which are placed one at the poste- 

 rior part of each orbit. Teeth small and sharp pointed, arranged in 

 five or six rows in each jaw. On the upper surface of the body are 

 a number of large conical spines with grooved bases, intermixed with 

 smaller ones with stellated bases, irregularly scattered over the pec- 

 torals, snout, back, and tail ; at the base of the ventrals the skin is 

 perfectly smooth and free from spines ; on the tail are three rows of 

 spines which extend up the back as far as the nape ; the spines form- 

 ing the middle row being about twelve in number, and three times 

 as large as those on the sides. On each orbit are four large spines, 

 two placed anteriorly and two posteriorly ; between the ej'es the 

 skin is rough with minute spines with stellated bases ; one large 

 spine on the nape, and two at each extremity of the transverse car- 

 tilage of the back, from whence commences a row of minute spines, 

 which runs down the back to the base of the tail, where it is lost. 

 All the spines have their points directed backwards ; those forming 



• Raia radiata, Don., Yarr. Jen. 



