740 PLAGIOSTOMATA— BATOIDEI. 



tail, commencing opposite the base of the spine, there is likewise a fold along the upper surface of the tail. A 

 strong and long spine, serrated in its last third, situated in about the commencement of the second quarter of 

 the tail, and anterior to it a row of small spines, the body otherwise smooth. In some examples a row of 

 tubercles exists along Ihe median line of the back. Colours — dull brown superiorly, the edge of the fins black. 

 Habitat.— 'From the seas of India to the Malay Archipelago, and Japan. The example figured (7 inches 

 across the , disk) is a male from Madras. 



C. — Lower dental lamince somewhat pointed, the upper being angularly bent for its reception (Hypolophus). 



9. Trygon sephen, Plate CXCV, fig. 2. 



Baja sephen, Forsk. Descr. An. p. 17 ; Gm. Linn, i, p. 1508 ; Lacep. i, p. 123 ; Bl. Schn. p. 364. 



Baja, Russell, Fish. Vizag. i, p. 2, and Wolga tenlcee, pi. iii. 



Trygon sephen. Guv. Regn. An. ; Riipp. Atl. Fisch. p. 52, and N. W. Fische, p. 69 ; Giinther, Catal. 

 viii, p. 482 ; Klunz. Fisch. Roth. Meer. 1871, p. 680. 



Baja sanaur, Ham. Buch. Fish. Ganges, p. 2. 



Trygon Forshalii, Riipp. Atl. Fisohe, p. 63, taf. 13, fig. 2. 



Mypolophus sephen, Miill. and Henle, p. 170 ; Bleek. Beng. p. 82, and Flag. p. 77 ; Cant. Mai. Fish, 

 p. 429 ; Blyth, J. A. S. of Beng. 1860, p. 37 ; Dumeril, Hist. Nat. Poiss. i, p. 616 ; Day, Fish. Malabar, p. 279. 



Adavalan tirihi, Tamil : Voliigiri tenkee, Tel. 



Disk rather broader than long : the length of the tail three to fouj times that of the body. Snout more 

 obtuse in adults. Teeth — lower dental laminae somewhat pointed, the upper angularly bent for its reception : 

 |-|- rows transversely, and ff vertically opposite the symphysis, they are all flattened, those in the centre of 

 the upper jaw being the smallest. Fins — tail with a broad lower cutaneous fold : there may be one or twp 

 serrated spines situated rather behind its anterior third. Scales — upper surface of the head and body 

 and base of tail covered by thick, concave, or flat-headed, several-sided tubercles. In the scapular region 

 and central line of the back are two in the young, and three in the adult, of large, smooth, approximating 

 tubercles, the middle and largest of which is usually oval, the second in size posterior and heart-shaped, the 

 anterior or smallest round or heart-shaped. Colours — the upper surface of the immature is reddish-brown : but 

 in the adult lead-coloured, becoming black in the posterior two-thirds of the tail. Some examples have a row 

 of black blotches near their outer margin. 



Habitat. — Red Sea, through the seas of India to the Malay Archipelago, and beyond. This fish grows 

 to a large size. The jaws in the figure were from an example 5 ft. 10 in. across the disk. In its stomach were 

 found Crustacea, molluscs, &c. It is most common during the south-west monsoon, when it approaches the shore. 

 From the skin of its back some of the " shagreen " of commerce used to be prepared. Wounds inflicted by 

 the spine of its tail are considered dangerous. 



Genus, 3 — Tj)NnjRA, Miiller and Henle. 



Dish oval or rhomboidal : tail elongated and tapering. Nasal valves coalescent, forming a quadrangular 

 flap. Pectoral Jms united anteriorly : tail unth a broad lower cutaneous fold continued to its extremity. Body and 

 tail either smooth or furnished with tubercles. 



Geographical distribution. — From the Red Sea and East coast of Africa through the seas of India to the 

 Malay Archipelago and tropical America. 



1. Taeniura melanospilos. 



Bleeker, Nat. Tyds. Ned. Ind. 1853, iv, p. 513; Dumeril, Hist. Nat. Poiss. i, p. 620; Gunther, 

 Catal. viii, p. 484. 



JiVuga tirihe, Tel. 



Disk ratljer broader than long : its upper surface smooth. Tail very thick at its base with two strong 

 flattened elongated spines (upper 9J, lower 5|- inches long) serrated externally. From opposite these spines on 

 the lower surface of the tail commences a broad, cutaneous fold, and which is continued to the extremity of the 

 tail, and on its surface are numerous tubercles of the same character as on the tail. The figure appears to 

 have been mislaid and the colours are not noted. 



The foregoing description is compiled from Sir W. Elliot's and Dr. Jerdon's notes of two examples 

 captured in 1853 off the Coromandel coast, where they were said by the fishermen to be very rare. The tail 

 of one with the spines intact has been preserved. One of the examples had its disk 4 ft. 11 in. long and 

 5 ft. 11 in. broad, its tail, however, was absent : the other was 8 ft. 11 in. in its total length, and its disk 

 4 ft. 1 in. long by 5 ft. 11 in. wide. Inside its stomach were found the remains of some small crabs and a 

 squilla. It is, however, expressly stated that the body was smooth, but the tail covered with rough tubercles, 

 all of which have a stellated base. 



Habitat. — Coromandel coast of India and Batavia. 



