MYLIOBATlDjE. 01 



a broad flap. Teeth broad, flat, in five or more rows, the central 

 being the broadest. Tail whip-like, having a dorsal fin armed 

 with a serrated spine. 



Geographical Distribution. Tropical and contiguous seas. 



Synopsis of Indian Species. 



Nine series of teeth in upper jaw, and seven in the 



lower 1. It. adspersa, p. 61 . 



Seven rows of teeth in each jaw, the three central 



series being much the longest 2. JR. Javanica, p. 61. 



66. (1.) Rhinoptera adspersa. 



Rhinoptera adspersa, Mull, fy Henle } Plagios. p. 183 ; Day, Fish. 



India, p. 744 (see synon.). 

 Mutta tiriki or Kurivi tiriki, Tamil. 



Disk about twice as wide as long ; tail about three times as long 

 as disk. Notch on snout shallow. Teeth nine rows in the upper 

 and seven in the lower jaw, the .teeth in the central row of the 

 upper jaw 2| to 3 times wider from side to side than from back to 

 front, but not so wide as those in the next row. Fins dorsal, 

 situated at the base of the tail, and immediately behind it a strong 

 serrated spine. Upper surface of body covered with fine stellate 

 tubercles. Colour greenish brown superiorly, becoming lighter 

 at tbe edges of the disk. 



JIab. 8eas of India. 



67. (2.) Rhinoptera javanica. (Fig. 25, teeth *.) 



Rhinoptera javanica, Muller Sf Henle, Plagios. p. 182, t. Iviii ; Day, 

 Fish. India, p. 744, pi. cxcv, fig. 4 (teeth). 



Disk from about If to twice as broad as long; tail nearly twice 

 as long as disk. Notch on snout shallow. Teeth seven rows in 

 both jaws, those in the central row being four or five times wider 

 than long (in the antero-posterior direction), and rather more than 

 twice as wide as the row on either side. The outer rows are hexa- 

 gonal and narrow ; those in the lower jaw rather narrower than 

 those in the upper. Fins dorsal situated at the base of the tail, 

 and immediately behind it a serrated spine. Colour greenish 

 superiorly, white beneath. 



Jfab. Seas of India to the Malay Archipelago. 



4. Genus DICEROBATIS, Blainville. 

 Syn. Cephaloptera and Mobula, A. Dume'ril. 



Pectoral fin not extended on to the sides of the head, which 

 latter is truncated in front, whilst on either side is a forwardly- 



* Mr. A. S. Woodward (Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. 1888, i. p. 281) has shown 

 that the dentition of these fishes may be abnormally altered. 



