70 THE PLAGIOSTOMIA. 



PORODERMA AFRICANUM. 



Le Galonni Broussonet, 1780, M^m. Acad, roy., p. 659. 



Squalus fasciatus Bonnaterre, 1788, Ichth, p. 8. 



Squalus africanus Gmelin, 1789, Linn^, Syst., 1, p. 1494. 



Squalus vittattis Shaw & Nodder, 1798, Nat. misc., 9, pi. 346. 



Scyllium africanum Cuv., 1817, Reg. anim., 2, p. 124; 1829, 2, p. 386; Muller & Henle, 1841, Plagios., 



p. 12, pi. 7, f. ; A. Smith, 1849, Afr. Pisces, pi. 25, f. 1; Dum^ril, 1865, Elasm., p. 321; Gunth., 



1870, Cat. fishes Brit, imis., 8, p. 405; p. 406 "var. a. africana s. striata." 

 Poroderma africanum A. Smith, 1837, Proc. Zool. soc. Lond., p. 85. 

 Squalus slriatus Forster, 1844, Descrip. anim., ed. Lichtenatein, p. 407. 

 Scyliorhinus africanus Reoan, 1908, Ann. mag. nat. hist., ser. 8, 1, p. 456. 

 Lui haai, Lazy shark, local names. 



Snout short, narrowed toward and rounded at the end. Nasal cirrus 

 rather short, in most cases not reaching the hp. The first dorsal appears to be 

 larger than the ventrals, its origin is placed closer to a vertical from the ends 

 of their bases, and the difference in size between this dorsal and the second 

 dorsal is perhaps a trifle greater than in the species P. pantherinum. Like that 

 species this one is subject to great variations in markings. As figured by Smith 

 individuals of P. africanum have five or seven longitudinal bands each of which, 

 between the head and the caudal region, divides into two narrow stripes while 

 the lower one on each side breaks into spots or short bars behind the ventrals. 

 On the cheek in front of the gill apertures there are some small spots. Other 

 descriptions give five or seven bands along the upper parts each band sometimes 

 lighter in the middle. Reaches a length of three feet or more. 



Types described from Algoa Bay and the Cape. 



Poroderma pantherinum. 



Poroderma pantherinum A. Smith, 1837, Proc. Zool. soc. Lond., p. 85. 



Poroderma variegatum A. Smith, 1837, ibid. 



Poroderma suhmaculatum A. Smith, 1837, ibid. 



Scyllium pantherinum MIjller & Henle, 1841, Plagios., p. 13, pi. 7, f.; A. Smith, 1849, Afr. Pisces, 



pi. 25, f. 3; DuMERTL, 1865, Elasm., p. 322. 

 Scyllium africanum var. variegatum Gunth., 1870, Cat. fishes Brit, mus., 8, p. 406. 

 Scyllium africanum var. pantherinum GtJNTH., 1870, ibid. 

 Scyliorhinus pantherinus Regan, 1908, Ann. mag. nat. hist., ser. 8, 1, p. 456. 



Snout short, blunt, rounded at the end. Nasal cirrus reaching the lip or 

 beyond it. Origin of the first dorsal a short distance behind a vertical from 

 the bases of the ventrals; base of first dorsal nearly two thirds, and base of sec- 

 ond dorsal less than half the length of the anal base. One third or more of the 

 base of the second dorsal lies behind that of the anal. Pectorals nearly as broad 

 as long, subtruncate. 



Greyish to brownish, with brown markings. Smith says fresh specimens 



