CALIFORNIA PISH AND GAME. S 



FAMILIES OF CALIFORNIA SKATES AND RAYS. 



Caudal fin developed. Tail thick and with two dorsal fins on top 

 of it. Ventral fins not notched on outer edge$ (see fig. 6 for notched 

 ventrals). Skin rough with scattered spines. Color not uniformly 

 black. 



1. The Guitar Fishes (family Rhinobatidw) . Page 4. 



Caudal fin developed. Tail thick and with two dorsal fins on top of 

 it. Ventral' fins not notched on outer edget (see fig. 6 for notched 

 ventrals). Skin everywhere perfectly smooth. Color uniformly black. 



2. The Electric Rays (family Narcobatida-). Page 6. 



Caudal fin absent, or represented only by a slight fold of skin. Two 

 dorsal fins crowded together near tip of tail. Ventral fins notched 

 on outer edge (as in fig. 6). Skin rough with scattered spines. 



3. The Skates (family Rajida). Page 7. 



Tail slender, often M'hip-like. No dorsal fin. Caudal fin present or 

 absent. Back of tail with a long spine or sting (sometimes duplicated, 

 occasionally absent.) Eyes not at edge of head. 



//. The Sting Rays (family Dasyatidw) . Page 11. 



Tail whip-like, without caudal fin. A single dorsal fin just in front 

 of sting. Sting often duplicated. Eyes at edge of head. Teeth large 

 and fiat, forming a tile-like pavement. 



5. The Eagle Rays (family Mtohatida) . Page 13. 



Tail whip-like, without caudal fin. A single dorsal fin opposite 

 ventral fins. Sting behind dorsal or absent. Eyes at edge of head. 

 Teeth small and numerous. Head with a pair of horn-like arms just 

 under the front of it. Size enormous. 



6. The Sea-Devils (family Mantidw). Page 13. 



GLOSSARY. 



The names of the fins may be learned from fig. 2. 



Claspers. Rod-like organs, one attached to the inner edge of each 

 ventral fin in the male. Not projecting bej^ond the fin in the young. 



Disk. The flattened part of the body made by the projecting pectoral 

 and ventral fins. 



Rostral ridges. The ridges running forward from in front of the 

 eyes to the tip of the snout. 



Shagreen. The skin when it feels like fine sandpaper. 



Snout. The part lying directly in front of the eyes. 



Spiracle. The hole just behind the eye. 



JDo not mistake the notch formed by the presence of a clasper in the male for a 

 notclied fin. 



