Jordan and Evermann. Fishes of North America. 73 



skates, reaching a length of over 6 feet ; the egg case nearly a foot long. 

 Pacific coast from Monterey to Sitka, abundant, (bis, two; oculatus, 

 eyed, from the pectoral ocelli.) 



Itiijn liinnciiliitn, GIRARD, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1854, 196, San Francisco; JORDAN & GIL- 



IM.KT, Synopsis, 878, 1883. 



Umptera binoctdata, GIRARD, Pac. R. R. Survey, 373, 1858. 



Raia cooperi, GIRA.RD, Pac. R. R. Survey, 372, 1858, Shoalwater Bay, "Washington. 

 Raia cooperi, JORDAN & GILBERT, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 1880, 135. 



103. RAJA INORNATA, Jordan & Gilbert. 

 (COMMON SKATE OF CALIFORNIA.) 



Disk broad, its widest part well forward ; outer angle of pectoral blunt ; 

 posterior edge convex ; anterior margin of pectoral undulated, not strongly 

 concave ; snout rather pointed and projecting at tip, but not very long, 

 its acumination being confined to its anterior half. Interocular space 

 narrow, deeply and uniformly concave; eyes large, longer than spiracles; 

 supraocular ridge prominent. Spines on body rather stronger than in 

 related species; 4 or 5 over the eye; 5 or 6 (rarely fewer) along the 

 median line in front of the middle of the back; a series of very small 

 spines along the middle of the back, changing opposite the middle of the 

 ventrals into a series of rather strong, hooked spines ; tail with a strong 

 lateral series in females only, as usual in the genus; prickles on the body 

 small and few; a small band of sparse prickles near the median line of 

 back on each side of the median series of spines ; snout and interorbital 

 space prickly; no prickles on the shoulders or on the fins, except the an- 

 terior edge of the pectorals; smooth below, except on the snout and front 

 of pectorals; armature variable, smoothest specimens in deeper water. 

 Teeth $. Jaws somewhat curved. Color light brown, slightly mottled ; 

 a blackish ring at base of pectorals, which becomes faint in the adult; a 

 small dusky spot at base of ventrals and on posterior edge of pectorals. 

 Disk 1*0- broader than long, its breadth twice the length of the tail. 

 Snout J the length of the disk, 3 times the interorbital width. L. 2 feet. 

 Coast of California ; very abundant from San Diego to Cape Mendocino. 

 (inornatus, unadorned.) 



Raja inornate, JORDAN & GILBERT, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 1880, 457, and 1881, 74, San Francisco. 

 .Raia inornate, JORDAN & GILBERT, Synopsis, 878, 1883. 



Raiajordani* GARMAN, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 1885, 43, San Francisco. (Type, 16704.) 

 Raia inornate inermis, JORDAN & GILBERT, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 1881, 74, Santa Barbara. 

 (Type, No. 26926.) 



* Raja jordani, Carman. Disk broader than long, the snout a little sharper than a right angle, the 

 tip pointed ; width of disk 1 % times length of tail from ventrals ; tail slender, tapering regu- 

 larly to a point. Dorsals separated by a large spine. Interocular space broad, deeply concave, 3 

 in snout. Eye moderate, as large as spiracle. Mouth wide, curved forward; 1% in preoral 

 part of snout ; teeth in 38 rows. Head above, including rostral cartilages and skin between 

 them, rough with small spines; a row of larger spines along orbital ridges and median line of 

 back and tail ; type (tf) without lateral spines on tail ; 2 large spines side by side in front of 

 and near dorsals; a group of large spines on front of each pectoral; most of the disk smooth. 

 Claspers long, slender, pointed, their form unlike that of R. erinacea. Dark olivaceous, a 

 rounded pale spot with a darker center on each shoulder; dark mottlings on lower side. L. 2 

 feet. (Garman.) San Francisco, apparently not distinct from R. inornate. (Named for David 

 Starr Jordan.) 



