25: RAJIDAE (SKATES)
25.11 Raja doutrei
Cadenat, 1960
Raja doutrei Cadenat, 1960: 294, Figs. 1-11 , 13, 15 (Senegal) ; Hulley ,
1970: 164*. Raja (Dipturus) doutrei: Hulley, 1972: 77* ; L1oris, 1982: 10.
Disc 1.2 times as broad as long; maximum angle in front of spiracles
about 72°; distance from middle of vent to 1st D origin 2.0-2.2 in length
from tip of snout to middle of vent; D (fins) separate. Snout length 3.8-4.0
times interorbital distance. 32 rows of teeth in upper jaw. 43-49 predorsal
caudal vertebrae. 6-7 thorns around inner margin of each orbit and above
each spiracle; 13-26 mid-dorsal thorns from above vent to 1st D origin; 1-2
interdorsal thorns; single, lateral series of thorns on each side in females,
absent in adult males; spine on tip of snout and front margins of disc;
ventral surface of disc with spines on snout and front margins of disc ;
otherwise smooth.
Dorsally uniform brown, with scattered, irregular darker
blotches; ventrally brown, mucous pores black. Attains
about 100 cm TL, 70 cm OW. Tropical west African species
known from Senegal to Liideritz, Namibia in 450 - 600 m.
25.11 Raja doutrei: 62 cm wide male (Namibia).
25.12 Raja lanceorostrata
Wallace, 1967
Raja lanceorostrata Wallace, 1967: 15, Fig. 8 (off Limpopo River
mouth) . Raja (Dipturus) lanceorostrata: Hulley, 1972: 77*.
Disc 1.2-1.3 times as broad as long; maximum angle in front of
spiracles about 66°; distance from anterior margin of vent to 1st D origin
1.4-1.6 in length from tip of snout to anterior margin of vent; D (fins)
separate. Snout length 5.2-7.4 times interorbital distance. 31 rows ofteeth
in upper jaw. 56-57 predorsal caudal vertebrae. 3 preorbital, 3 postorbital
and 3 supraspiracular thorns on each side; 1 median nuchal thorn; 26
thorns mid-dorsally, from base of tail to 1st D origin; 1 interdorsal thorn ;
7-13 lateral caudal thorns; scapular and rostral thorns absent; spinules
along front margins of disc; malar and alar thorns in adult males; otherwise dorsal surface of disc smooth; ventral surfaces of disc and tail smooth,
except for narrow band of spinules along front margin of disc and on rostra cartilage.
122
Dorsally grey, with numerous lighter spots, translucent
area on each side of rostral cartilage; ventrally grey, becoming lighter at gill slits and along front of disc; mucous pores
black. Attains 82 cm TL, 55 cm OW. Known only from
3 specimens collected off Limpopo River mouth , in about
435m.
L
15.12 Raja lanceorostrata: 55 em wide mature male holotype.
25.13 Raja leopardus
Von Bonde & Swart, 1923
Raia leopardus Von Bonde & Swart, 1923: 7, PI. 20, Fig. 2 (? Natal);
Smith, SFSA No. 73*. Raja barnardi Norman , 1935: 43, Fig. 14 (34°00'S ,
17°58'E). Raja leopardus: Hulley, 1970: 206*. Raia caudaspinosa (non
Von Bonde & Swart): Smith, SFSA No. 72*. Raja (Rajel/a) leopardus:
Hulley, 1972: 77*.
Disc 1.1-1 .3 times as broad as long; maximum angle in front of spiracles
about 100-1100; distance from middle of vent to 1st D origin 1.1-1.5 in
length from tip of snout to middle of vent; D (fins) usually continuous.
Snout length 2.8-4.4 times interorbital distance. 52-70 rows of teeth in
upper jaw. Dorsal surface with spinules (juveniles) or spines (adults) on
snout, front margins of disc and each side oftail. Juveniles with 4-5 thorns
around inner margins of orbits, 0-1 supraspiracular, 1 interspiracular and
1-2 scapular thorns on each side ; 3-5 median nuchal thorns; 25-30 middorsal thorns from nuchal region to 1st D origin; 3-6 small thorns semilaterally on each side of tail at level of pelvics; spinules as above, widerspaced asperities over remainder of disc. Adults with 5-13 thorns around
inner orbital margins and above spiracles, 1-2 interspiracular and 2-3
scapular thorns on each side; 4-9 median nuchal thorns, with 1-2 lateral
rows, forming triangular patch; 19-29 mid-dorsal thorns along back and
tail to 1st D origin, flanked by 1 row of thorns along back and 2-3 rows
along tail on each side; ventral surface with spines on tip of snout and front
margins of disc.
Dorsally uniform brown to grey, sometimes with numerous dark spots, especially in juveniles; ventrally uniform
pale, or with irregularly arranged darker blotches and
patches on disc and V. Attains about 95 cm TL, 63 cm OW.
Known only off west coast from 18° to 35°S, in 300 - 690 m.
25.11 Raja doutrei
Cadenat, 1960
Raja doutrei Cadenat, 1960: 294, Figs. 1-11 , 13, 15 (Senegal) ; Hulley ,
1970: 164*. Raja (Dipturus) doutrei: Hulley, 1972: 77* ; L1oris, 1982: 10.
Disc 1.2 times as broad as long; maximum angle in front of spiracles
about 72°; distance from middle of vent to 1st D origin 2.0-2.2 in length
from tip of snout to middle of vent; D (fins) separate. Snout length 3.8-4.0
times interorbital distance. 32 rows of teeth in upper jaw. 43-49 predorsal
caudal vertebrae. 6-7 thorns around inner margin of each orbit and above
each spiracle; 13-26 mid-dorsal thorns from above vent to 1st D origin; 1-2
interdorsal thorns; single, lateral series of thorns on each side in females,
absent in adult males; spine on tip of snout and front margins of disc;
ventral surface of disc with spines on snout and front margins of disc ;
otherwise smooth.
Dorsally uniform brown, with scattered, irregular darker
blotches; ventrally brown, mucous pores black. Attains
about 100 cm TL, 70 cm OW. Tropical west African species
known from Senegal to Liideritz, Namibia in 450 - 600 m.
25.11 Raja doutrei: 62 cm wide male (Namibia).
25.12 Raja lanceorostrata
Wallace, 1967
Raja lanceorostrata Wallace, 1967: 15, Fig. 8 (off Limpopo River
mouth) . Raja (Dipturus) lanceorostrata: Hulley, 1972: 77*.
Disc 1.2-1.3 times as broad as long; maximum angle in front of
spiracles about 66°; distance from anterior margin of vent to 1st D origin
1.4-1.6 in length from tip of snout to anterior margin of vent; D (fins)
separate. Snout length 5.2-7.4 times interorbital distance. 31 rows ofteeth
in upper jaw. 56-57 predorsal caudal vertebrae. 3 preorbital, 3 postorbital
and 3 supraspiracular thorns on each side; 1 median nuchal thorn; 26
thorns mid-dorsally, from base of tail to 1st D origin; 1 interdorsal thorn ;
7-13 lateral caudal thorns; scapular and rostral thorns absent; spinules
along front margins of disc; malar and alar thorns in adult males; otherwise dorsal surface of disc smooth; ventral surfaces of disc and tail smooth,
except for narrow band of spinules along front margin of disc and on rostra cartilage.
122
Dorsally grey, with numerous lighter spots, translucent
area on each side of rostral cartilage; ventrally grey, becoming lighter at gill slits and along front of disc; mucous pores
black. Attains 82 cm TL, 55 cm OW. Known only from
3 specimens collected off Limpopo River mouth , in about
435m.
L
15.12 Raja lanceorostrata: 55 em wide mature male holotype.
25.13 Raja leopardus
Von Bonde & Swart, 1923
Raia leopardus Von Bonde & Swart, 1923: 7, PI. 20, Fig. 2 (? Natal);
Smith, SFSA No. 73*. Raja barnardi Norman , 1935: 43, Fig. 14 (34°00'S ,
17°58'E). Raja leopardus: Hulley, 1970: 206*. Raia caudaspinosa (non
Von Bonde & Swart): Smith, SFSA No. 72*. Raja (Rajel/a) leopardus:
Hulley, 1972: 77*.
Disc 1.1-1 .3 times as broad as long; maximum angle in front of spiracles
about 100-1100; distance from middle of vent to 1st D origin 1.1-1.5 in
length from tip of snout to middle of vent; D (fins) usually continuous.
Snout length 2.8-4.4 times interorbital distance. 52-70 rows of teeth in
upper jaw. Dorsal surface with spinules (juveniles) or spines (adults) on
snout, front margins of disc and each side oftail. Juveniles with 4-5 thorns
around inner margins of orbits, 0-1 supraspiracular, 1 interspiracular and
1-2 scapular thorns on each side ; 3-5 median nuchal thorns; 25-30 middorsal thorns from nuchal region to 1st D origin; 3-6 small thorns semilaterally on each side of tail at level of pelvics; spinules as above, widerspaced asperities over remainder of disc. Adults with 5-13 thorns around
inner orbital margins and above spiracles, 1-2 interspiracular and 2-3
scapular thorns on each side; 4-9 median nuchal thorns, with 1-2 lateral
rows, forming triangular patch; 19-29 mid-dorsal thorns along back and
tail to 1st D origin, flanked by 1 row of thorns along back and 2-3 rows
along tail on each side; ventral surface with spines on tip of snout and front
margins of disc.
Dorsally uniform brown to grey, sometimes with numerous dark spots, especially in juveniles; ventrally uniform
pale, or with irregularly arranged darker blotches and
patches on disc and V. Attains about 95 cm TL, 63 cm OW.
Known only off west coast from 18° to 35°S, in 300 - 690 m.