SHARKS AND RAYS OF BEAUFORT, NORTH CAROLINA. 



269 



This species is not rare in the Beaufort region. According to Coles it is usually fotmd in the breakers 

 on Lookout Shoals. 



Fio, 



,2. — Denticles, Pristis pectinatus, 71.7 cm. long, from Florida. (U. S. National Museum no. 30678.) 

 first dorsal; B, denticles on upper surface of rostrum. 



Denticles under 



Family RHINOBATID;€. The sharklike rays. 

 Genus RHINOBATTJS Klein in Schauplatz. 

 22. Rhinobatus lentiginosus Carman. Ray; clear-nose. 



i?AiiK>io(af /en/iVinoiuj, Smitli.1907. p. 40, fig. 8(aand6); Coles. 1913. p. 33; id., 191 j, p. 91. 



TeeiA.— Teeth in 7^ lows in a female 53.5 cm. long and in — rows in a male 38.8 cm. long, in pave- 

 ment, arranged in quincimx; similar in form in both sexes; anterior margin rounded, posterior margin 



of functioning surface truncate; posterior side of teeth narrowed 

 basally to a cusplike projection at gum. 



Denticles. — The denticles are tmequal in size and vary in form 

 on different parts of the body; on clear space on either side of rostral 

 cartilage they are small, spear-shaped, sharp-pointed, with concave 

 margins; on back opposite angles to pectorals they are arrow-headed, 

 very tmequal in size; on sides under first dorsal they are ovate, 

 sharp-pointed; on ventral sinface they are in pavement, subquad- 

 rangular in outline. 



There is a row of small compressed and depressed tubercles 

 along the median line of the back; midway between the dorsals 

 these are reduced to ridges covered by skin; a small tubercle on left 

 shoulder and two on the right; a row in front of and above eye, end- 

 ing at spiracle; five prominent tubercles on tip of snout, three small 

 ones behind these. Description of a female 38.8 cm. long. 



Examples from Beaufort agree in the main with descriptions 

 of lentiginosus, but possess other characters which are said to distin- 

 guish percellens from this species. 



Rostral cartilage narrow in the middle, broader toward tip of 

 snout, ridges widening fonvard, the cartilage bearing a flange on the 

 outer side of each near the end; groove between the rostral ridges 

 narrowing regularly toward tip of snout. 

 97867°— vol 34—16 18 



Pio. 23. — Teeth, upper and lower jaws. 

 Rhinobatus lentiginosus, 53.5 cm. long. 

 (Same specimen as fig. 24.) 



