RAIA STELLATA. 321 



Raia naevus. 



Raia naevus Muller & Henle, 1841, Plagios., p. 138, 194; Dumeril, 1865, Elasm., p. 549. 

 Raia miraletus Couch, 1867, Brit, fishes, 1, p. 112, pi. 27. 



Outlines of disk similar to those of R. erinacea, Plate 20. Width greater 

 than length of body; front angle greater than 90°; snout short one and one half 

 times the internarial space, slightly produced, pointed; outer and hinder angles 

 and outer margins broadly rounded. Mouth waved; teeth sharp (male) in 

 about 54 rows. Rostral cartilage short, pointed, ridges meeting nearly midway 

 from eyes to end of snout. Upper surfaces, top of head, pectorals, and top of tail 

 rough with small sharp hooked spines, longer opposite the sides of the head and 

 on the tail. Three to four compressed hooked tubercles on the orbital ridge in 

 front and as many behind the eye. A median vertebral row of small tubercles 

 on the shoulder girdle is lost behind it but reappears behind the body in a few 

 scattered tubercles. At each side of this row there is a lateral row of which 

 the thorns are larger; it also is interrupted near the girdle. Nearer the lateral 

 folds on the tail there is another lateral row for a considerable distance on each 

 side. Lower surface smooth except below front margin and snout. Male 

 with several rows of tenacula near the outer angle, extending to the front margin 

 on the specimen described. Dorsals distinct but close together. Tail little 

 longer than body, slightly produced behind the dorsals. 



Yellowish or rusty brown, with a large spot of black vermiculate or marbled 

 with yellow on the base of each pectoral. The male described has several small 

 spots of dark brown between the eyes and the outer margin. Beneath whitish 

 to flesh color, with a dark spot below the end of the snout. 



Described specimen an adult male, from Nice, in total length 20, snout to 

 abdominal pores 9.25, snout to mouth 2.25, and in greatest width 11.75 inches. 

 In size, dentition, etc., it appears more nearly alHed to R. erinacea than to the 

 larger species, R. diaphanes, of the Western Atlantic. 



Off Atlantic and Mediterranean Coasts of Europe. 



Raia stellata. 



Raia asterias Belon, 1553, Aquat., p. 83; Delaroche, 1809, Ann. Mus. hist, nat., 13, p. 322, pi. 20. 

 Raia asteria aspera Rondelet, 1554, Pise, p. 352; Gesner, 1558, Aquat., p. 935; Aidrovandi, 1613, 



Pise. & Get., p. 458; Jonst., 1649, Pise., p. 36, pi. 10, f. 7; Willughby, 1686, Pise., p. 73, pi. D 5, 



f. 4. 

 Raia stellaris Salviani, 1554, Aquat., f. 150, pi. 51. 

 Raia stellata Valmont, 1768, Diet, d'hist., nat., 3, p. 705. 



