llb Ocellus strongly horizontally ovate,
consisting of single dark ring, enclosing
lor 2 dark spots .. .... ... .. ........ ...... .. ...... ......... R. (Raja) clavata
12a Distance from middle of vent to tip of snout about 1.5
times greater than distance from middle of vent to
tip of tail .. . .. .. ... .. ..... .... . .. .. . .. . . .. .. . .. .... . .. .. . .. ... ...... . .. .. . .. ... 13
12b Distance from middle of vent to tip of snout less than
distance from middle of vent to tip of tail .. .. .. ................ .. ..... 14
13a Upper surface of disc with stellate-based
thorns on front margins, rostral cartilage
and rear angles; ventral surface of disc
white, with some scattered darker
blotches .... .... .... .. ...... ........ ...... ...... .. .. R. (Amblyraja) rad;ata
13b Upper surface of disc without stellatebased thorns on front margins, rostral
cartilage and rear angles; ventral surface
of disc dark grey, with white triangular
patches between nostrils, around mouth
and at pectoral girdle .. .... ........ .. ........ .. . R. (Amblyraja) roberts;
14a Less than 50 rows of teeth in upper jaw .... ...... .. ..... .. ...... ...... 15
14b More than 50 rows of teeth in upper jaw .... .. ........................ 19
15a Median row of thorns along back and
tail absent; no thorns along rostral
cartilage ...... .. .. .. .......... .... ........ .... .. .. ..... R. (Rajel/a) rav;dula
15b Median row of thorns on back and tail always present;
thorns present on rostral cartilage .......................... .. ........ .. 16
16a A single row of thorns along mid-dorsal region of back
and tail; auxiliary rows of thorns (when present) always
lateral; 46-54 pre dorsal caudal vertebrae .. ...... .......... .... .... .. .. 17
16b 3 or more rows of thorns along mid-dorsal region of
back and tail; auxiliary rows of thorns semi-lateral
in position; 55-69 predorsal caudal vertebrae ........................ 18
17a Shield in clasper glans well developed and
exposed; dorsal surface of disc with
numerous, dark, regular spots ...... .... ........ .. .. R. (Raja) straelen;
17b Shield in clasper glans poorly developed;
dorsal surface of disc with or without
numerous, irregular, darker blotches .. ............. R. (Raja) clavata
18a Reduction in size to eventual loss of middorsal row of thorns from disc to tail; lower
surface of tail uniform grey with white
distal tip; 65-69 predorsal caudal vertebrae;
clasper with slit and cleft ......................... R. (Rajella) dissimilis
18b Mid-dorsal row of thorns large and
continuous to 1st D origin ; lower surface
of tail white or with scattered darker
blotches; 55-63 predorsal caudal vertebrae;
clasper with 2 slits ...... .. ....................... R. (Raje/la) confundens
19a Distance from middle of vent to 1st D
origin longer than from tip of snout to
greatest disc width, by an amount greater
than preoral length ; 70 predorsal caudal
vertebrae; spike in clasper glans
bilobed ... .................. .... .................... R. (Leucoraja) wallace;
19b Distance from middle of vent to 1st D
origin longer than from tip of snout to
greatest disc width, by an amount less than
preoral length; 55-58 predorsal caudal
vertebrae; spike in clasper glans bulbous
but not bilobed ........ .. ...... .. .... ...... .. .. .... R. (Rajel/a) leopardus
Spearnose skate
25.6 Raja alba
Lacepede, 1803
25: RAJIDAE (SKATES)
Spiesneus-rog
Raja alba Lacepede, 1803: 663, PI. 20, Fig. 1 (no type material); Hulley,
1966: 497*; 1970: 176*; Wallace, 1967: 27* . Raia alba: Smith, SFSA No.
67*. Raja (Rostroraja) alba: Hulley, 1972: 77*.
Disc 1.4-1 .5 times as broad as long; maximum angle in front of spiracles
ca. 105°. Distance from middle of vent to 1st D origin 1.4-1.6 in length
from tip of snoutto middle of vent; D (fins) usually separate. Snout length
2.5-3.2 times interorbital distance. 40-45 rows ofteeth in upper jaw. 62-67
predorsal caudal vertebrae. Juveniles with 1 preorbital, 0-1 postorbital
thorns on each side; 10-16 mid-dorsal thorns from rear edge of V to 1st D
origin; 0-2 interdorsal thorns; 7-17 lateral caudal thorns in a row on each
side; ventral surface with spinules on tip of snout, front margins of disc and
internasal region. Adults with about 6 thorns around inner orbital margin
on each side; 16-30 mid-dorsal thorns from rear edge of V to 1st D origin;
0-2 interdorsal thorns; 17-29 lateral caudal thorns on each side, irregularly
arranged; spinules on snout, rostral cartilage, front margins of disc, midline of back and on tail; ventral surface with spinules on snout, front margin of disc, internasal region, gill slits, abdomen and tail.
Juveniles dorsally uniform brown, darker at extremities
of P, V and C; adults dorsally grey to brown, with or without
scattered white spots; ventrally white, margins of disc and V
brown to black. Attains 2.3 m TL, 1.6 m DW. Namibia to
Barra Falsa in 50 - 360 m; also from England to Madeira,
Mediterranean, west Africa south to our region and to NE
Madagascar.
25.6 Raja alba: top: 66 cm wide (South Africa); bottom: juvenile 22 .5 cm wide
(off Cape Padrone).
119
consisting of single dark ring, enclosing
lor 2 dark spots .. .... ... .. ........ ...... .. ...... ......... R. (Raja) clavata
12a Distance from middle of vent to tip of snout about 1.5
times greater than distance from middle of vent to
tip of tail .. . .. .. ... .. ..... .... . .. .. . .. . . .. .. . .. .... . .. .. . .. ... ...... . .. .. . .. ... 13
12b Distance from middle of vent to tip of snout less than
distance from middle of vent to tip of tail .. .. .. ................ .. ..... 14
13a Upper surface of disc with stellate-based
thorns on front margins, rostral cartilage
and rear angles; ventral surface of disc
white, with some scattered darker
blotches .... .... .... .. ...... ........ ...... ...... .. .. R. (Amblyraja) rad;ata
13b Upper surface of disc without stellatebased thorns on front margins, rostral
cartilage and rear angles; ventral surface
of disc dark grey, with white triangular
patches between nostrils, around mouth
and at pectoral girdle .. .... ........ .. ........ .. . R. (Amblyraja) roberts;
14a Less than 50 rows of teeth in upper jaw .... ...... .. ..... .. ...... ...... 15
14b More than 50 rows of teeth in upper jaw .... .. ........................ 19
15a Median row of thorns along back and
tail absent; no thorns along rostral
cartilage ...... .. .. .. .......... .... ........ .... .. .. ..... R. (Rajel/a) rav;dula
15b Median row of thorns on back and tail always present;
thorns present on rostral cartilage .......................... .. ........ .. 16
16a A single row of thorns along mid-dorsal region of back
and tail; auxiliary rows of thorns (when present) always
lateral; 46-54 pre dorsal caudal vertebrae .. ...... .......... .... .... .. .. 17
16b 3 or more rows of thorns along mid-dorsal region of
back and tail; auxiliary rows of thorns semi-lateral
in position; 55-69 predorsal caudal vertebrae ........................ 18
17a Shield in clasper glans well developed and
exposed; dorsal surface of disc with
numerous, dark, regular spots ...... .... ........ .. .. R. (Raja) straelen;
17b Shield in clasper glans poorly developed;
dorsal surface of disc with or without
numerous, irregular, darker blotches .. ............. R. (Raja) clavata
18a Reduction in size to eventual loss of middorsal row of thorns from disc to tail; lower
surface of tail uniform grey with white
distal tip; 65-69 predorsal caudal vertebrae;
clasper with slit and cleft ......................... R. (Rajella) dissimilis
18b Mid-dorsal row of thorns large and
continuous to 1st D origin ; lower surface
of tail white or with scattered darker
blotches; 55-63 predorsal caudal vertebrae;
clasper with 2 slits ...... .. ....................... R. (Raje/la) confundens
19a Distance from middle of vent to 1st D
origin longer than from tip of snout to
greatest disc width, by an amount greater
than preoral length ; 70 predorsal caudal
vertebrae; spike in clasper glans
bilobed ... .................. .... .................... R. (Leucoraja) wallace;
19b Distance from middle of vent to 1st D
origin longer than from tip of snout to
greatest disc width, by an amount less than
preoral length; 55-58 predorsal caudal
vertebrae; spike in clasper glans bulbous
but not bilobed ........ .. ...... .. .... ...... .. .. .... R. (Rajel/a) leopardus
Spearnose skate
25.6 Raja alba
Lacepede, 1803
25: RAJIDAE (SKATES)
Spiesneus-rog
Raja alba Lacepede, 1803: 663, PI. 20, Fig. 1 (no type material); Hulley,
1966: 497*; 1970: 176*; Wallace, 1967: 27* . Raia alba: Smith, SFSA No.
67*. Raja (Rostroraja) alba: Hulley, 1972: 77*.
Disc 1.4-1 .5 times as broad as long; maximum angle in front of spiracles
ca. 105°. Distance from middle of vent to 1st D origin 1.4-1.6 in length
from tip of snoutto middle of vent; D (fins) usually separate. Snout length
2.5-3.2 times interorbital distance. 40-45 rows ofteeth in upper jaw. 62-67
predorsal caudal vertebrae. Juveniles with 1 preorbital, 0-1 postorbital
thorns on each side; 10-16 mid-dorsal thorns from rear edge of V to 1st D
origin; 0-2 interdorsal thorns; 7-17 lateral caudal thorns in a row on each
side; ventral surface with spinules on tip of snout, front margins of disc and
internasal region. Adults with about 6 thorns around inner orbital margin
on each side; 16-30 mid-dorsal thorns from rear edge of V to 1st D origin;
0-2 interdorsal thorns; 17-29 lateral caudal thorns on each side, irregularly
arranged; spinules on snout, rostral cartilage, front margins of disc, midline of back and on tail; ventral surface with spinules on snout, front margin of disc, internasal region, gill slits, abdomen and tail.
Juveniles dorsally uniform brown, darker at extremities
of P, V and C; adults dorsally grey to brown, with or without
scattered white spots; ventrally white, margins of disc and V
brown to black. Attains 2.3 m TL, 1.6 m DW. Namibia to
Barra Falsa in 50 - 360 m; also from England to Madeira,
Mediterranean, west Africa south to our region and to NE
Madagascar.
25.6 Raja alba: top: 66 cm wide (South Africa); bottom: juvenile 22 .5 cm wide
(off Cape Padrone).
119