FAMILY, II— EHIlSrOBATID^. 731 



Bale hokhat and rhinobate, Lacep. i, pp. 139, 145, t. vi, f . 3. 



Bhinobatus Icevis, Bl. Schn. p. 354, pi. Ixxi ; Swainson, Fishes, ii, p. 322 ; ScUeg. Faun. Japon. Poiss. 

 p. 806, pi. cxxxix. 



Bhvnohatus djidsensis, Bl. Schn. p. 356. 



Baja, Russell, Fish. Vizag. i, p. 6, and Walawah Tenkee, tab. x. 



Bhinobatus djeddensis, Riipp. Atl. Fische, p. 54, tab. xiv, fig. 1 ; Benn. in Life of Raffles, p. 693. 



Bhinobatus Duhameli, Blainv. Faun, Fr. p. 48. 



Bhynahobatus Icevis, Mull, and Henle, p. Ill ; Bleak. Flag. p. 58 ; Dumeril, Hist. N. Poiss. i, p. 483. 



Bhynohobatus djeddensis, Cant. Mai. Fish. p. 412 ; Jerdon, M. J. L. and Sc. 1861, p. 148 ; Day, Fish. 

 Malabar, p. 273 ; Giinther, Catal. viii, p. 441 ; Klunz. Fisch. Roth. Meer. 1871, p. 674. 



Ulavi, or Tipi TJla/vi, Tel. 



Snout ^elongated, the distance between the mouth and end of snout equals 1/4 to 1/5 of the entire length 

 excluding the caudal fin, being shortest in adults. Hyes — rather large : the spiracle close behind the orbit. 

 Teeth— 0Y&\, wider than broad with a horizontal cusp across the centre of each : 40-42/40-42, twenty to 

 twenty-five vertical rows across the middle of both jaws. Dental plate with a central and a smaller lateral 

 elevation, corresponding emarginations exist in the upper jaw. Fivis — the first dorsal commences opposite the 

 centre of the base of the ventral. The second dorsal is half nearer to the base of the caudal than to the posterior 

 extremity of the first dorsal ; it is smaller than the latter fin ; but its shape is the same. Scales — minute, of 

 irregular shapes and sizes, keeled : a number of tubercles, directed backwards, exist in rows in some parts of the 

 body : a supraorbital row extends from the anterior margin of the orbit round its upper edge to above the 

 spiracle : a second passes from a central point between the termination of the last two and proceeds along 

 the back to the base of the first dorsal, the tubercles on it being much further apart than in the other lines : 

 from slightly behind the commencement of the dorsal line of spines is a short diverging row on either side, 

 also a row on the shoulder, and two or three spines on the scapula. The lateral keel commences a little above 

 the termination of the ventrals. Colours — the immature are dull-gray above, whitish sometimes tinged with red 

 beneath. A dark or black band on the upper eyelid and a dark spot beneath on either side of the snout : also 

 there is usually, but not invariably, a black spot at the root of the pectoral, which may have several small white 

 ones round it. The body and sometimes the pectoral fin is spotted with whitish, or light gray. Iris golden. 

 The adult is of a dull-gray above and lighter on the abdomen. 



The young are captured along the Coromandel coast in large numbers about the jnonth of March. 



Habitat. — Red Sea and East coast of Africa, seas of India to the Malay Archipelago, and beyond. Its 

 flesh is considered nourishing whether eaten salted or fresh, and oil from its liver is much esteemed. It grows 

 to at least six feet in length. 



Genus, 2 — Rhinobatus, sp. Bl. Schn. 



Syrrhima, Miill. and Henle. 



Body depressed and elongated. Spiracles vdde and behind the eyes. Snout elongated, the cranial cartilage 

 being prodtcced and the interval between it amd the pectoral fin being filled by a membrane. Nostrils oblique and 

 toide : the anterior nasal valves not confluent. Teeth obtuse, ridged. Dorsal fims spineless ; both far behind the 

 ventral : no lower caudal lobe. 



Geographical distribution. — Tropical and sub- tropical seas. They are exceedingly numerous along the 

 coast of India, and prefer a sandy to a muddy bottom. 



SYNOPSIS or SPECIES. 



Bhinobatus halami. Snout rather obtuse : a few blunted spines along the middle of the back. Mediter- 

 ranean, West coast of Africa, Red Sea, and seas of India to the Malay Archipelago. 



Bhinobatus granulatus. Snout elongated : a row of spines along the middle of the back. Seas of India 

 to the Malay Archipelago and Australia. 



Bhinobatus Thouini. Nostrils very large, their distance apart at the base being less than 1/2 their length. 

 Red Sea, seas of India to the Malay Archipelago. 



1. Rhinobatus halavi, Plate CXCIII, fig. 4. 



Baja halavi, Forsk. Desc. Anim. p. 19. . i „/. -^ . i 



Bhinobatus halwd, Riippell, Atl. Fische, p. 55, t. xiv, f. 2 ; MuUer and Henle, Plagiost. p. 120 ; Guichen, 

 Exp. Alger. Poiss. p. 129 ; Dumeril, Hist. Nat. Poiss. i, p. 496 ; Gunther, Catal. viii, p. 412 ; Klunz. Fische 



Roth. Meer. 1871, p. 675. .. , „ ™ , t, oo Tj,_^t- t a a * 



Bhimbatus obtusus, Miill. and Henle, p. 122. pi. xxxvu, f. 2; Bleeker, Beng. p. 82 ; Blyth, J. A. S. of 



Bengal, 1860, p. 37 ; Dumeril, 1. c. p. 493 ; Giinther, Catal. viii, p. 443. 



Snout rather obtuse, its length equalling 7 to 8 in the total. The width of the interorbital space equals 



2^ to 2^ in the length of the snout. Anterior nasal valve not dilated laterally. The distance between the 



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