25.13 Raja leopardus: 38 em wide (W. Cape coast; redrawn after Hulley, 1970).
Twineye skate
25.14 Raja miraletus
Linnaeus, 1758
PLATE 6
Tweeoog-rog
Raja miraletus Linnaeus, 1758: 231 (Mediterranean); Wallace, 1967:
31*; Hulley, 1969: 137*. Raia ocelli/era Regan, 1906: 2, PI. 2 (Algoa Bay);
1908: 242; Smith, SFSA No. 69*; 1964: 285. Raja (Raja) miraletus: Hulley,
1972: 77*; L1oris, 1982: 10.
Disc 1.3-1.4 times as broad as long; maximum angle in front of spiracles
about 110°_116°; distance from middle of vent to 1st D origin 1.1-1.4 in
length from tip of snout to middle of vent; D (fins) separate. Snout length
2.3-3.1 times interorbital distance. 42-50 rows of teeth in upper jaw. 44-52
predorsal caudal vertebrae. Juveniles with 2 preorbital, 1 postorbital, 0-2
supraspiracular and 1 scapular thorns on each side; 3 median nuchal
thorns; 18-23 mid-dorsal thorns from scapular region to 1st D origin; 0-2
interdorsal thorns; sometimes a few scattered spines semi-laterally on tail,
otherwise dorsal and ventral surfaces smooth. Adults with 4-8 thorns on
~'?f!'
-"':{':l'- o
\
.. ,
;~
1
·> ;' :.: .: .... "r.;.
}\
25.14 Raja miraletus: 27.5 em wide male (Algoa Bay).
25: RAJIDAE (SKATES)
inner orbital margin, 0-2 median nuchal thorns, 10-27 mid-dorsal thorns
from above axils of V to 1st D origin; 1-2 interdorsal thorns; 8-16 thorns in
semi-lateral and 0-13 thorns in lateral row on each side of tail; spinules on
snout, front margins of disc, midline of back and sometimes on posterior P
angle; ventral surface with spinules on snout, front margins of disc and internasal region.
Dorsally brownish, with or without small darker spots; a
large blue-black ocellus at each P base, consisting of 3
definite rings of colour; ventrally pale, with or without a
small dark spot on tip of snout. Attains 50 cm TL, 35 cm
OW. Common. False Bay to Durban, in 20 - 440 m; also
from Mediterranean, southwards to Angola.
25.15 Raja pullopunctata
Smith,1964
PLATE 6
Raia batis (non Linnaeus): Smith, SFSA No. 65*. Raia pullopunctata
Smith, 1964: 285, PI. 25 (Algoa Bay). Raja pullopunctata: Hulley, 1966:
505*; Hulley, 1970: 166*; Wallace, 1967: 13*. Raja camp belli Wallace,
1967: 24, Fig. 12 (east of Durban). Raja (Dipturus) pullopunctata: Hulley,
1972: 77*.
Disc 1.2-1.4 times as broad as long; maximum angle in front of spiracles
92°_108°; distance from middle of vent to 1st D origin 1.6-1.9 in length
from tip of snout to middle of vent; D (fins) separate. Snout length 3.4-4.1
times interorbital distance. 53-58 rows of teeth in upper jaw. 50-58 predorsal caudal vertebrae. Juveniles with 2 preorbital, 1 postorbital thorn on
/"
("
•
•
25.15 Raja pullopunctata: top: 52 em wide mature male; bottom: 14 em wide
juvenile holotype (both Algoa Bay).
123
Twineye skate
25.14 Raja miraletus
Linnaeus, 1758
PLATE 6
Tweeoog-rog
Raja miraletus Linnaeus, 1758: 231 (Mediterranean); Wallace, 1967:
31*; Hulley, 1969: 137*. Raia ocelli/era Regan, 1906: 2, PI. 2 (Algoa Bay);
1908: 242; Smith, SFSA No. 69*; 1964: 285. Raja (Raja) miraletus: Hulley,
1972: 77*; L1oris, 1982: 10.
Disc 1.3-1.4 times as broad as long; maximum angle in front of spiracles
about 110°_116°; distance from middle of vent to 1st D origin 1.1-1.4 in
length from tip of snout to middle of vent; D (fins) separate. Snout length
2.3-3.1 times interorbital distance. 42-50 rows of teeth in upper jaw. 44-52
predorsal caudal vertebrae. Juveniles with 2 preorbital, 1 postorbital, 0-2
supraspiracular and 1 scapular thorns on each side; 3 median nuchal
thorns; 18-23 mid-dorsal thorns from scapular region to 1st D origin; 0-2
interdorsal thorns; sometimes a few scattered spines semi-laterally on tail,
otherwise dorsal and ventral surfaces smooth. Adults with 4-8 thorns on
~'?f!'
-"':{':l'- o
\
.. ,
;~
1
·> ;' :.: .: .... "r.;.
}\
25.14 Raja miraletus: 27.5 em wide male (Algoa Bay).
25: RAJIDAE (SKATES)
inner orbital margin, 0-2 median nuchal thorns, 10-27 mid-dorsal thorns
from above axils of V to 1st D origin; 1-2 interdorsal thorns; 8-16 thorns in
semi-lateral and 0-13 thorns in lateral row on each side of tail; spinules on
snout, front margins of disc, midline of back and sometimes on posterior P
angle; ventral surface with spinules on snout, front margins of disc and internasal region.
Dorsally brownish, with or without small darker spots; a
large blue-black ocellus at each P base, consisting of 3
definite rings of colour; ventrally pale, with or without a
small dark spot on tip of snout. Attains 50 cm TL, 35 cm
OW. Common. False Bay to Durban, in 20 - 440 m; also
from Mediterranean, southwards to Angola.
25.15 Raja pullopunctata
Smith,1964
PLATE 6
Raia batis (non Linnaeus): Smith, SFSA No. 65*. Raia pullopunctata
Smith, 1964: 285, PI. 25 (Algoa Bay). Raja pullopunctata: Hulley, 1966:
505*; Hulley, 1970: 166*; Wallace, 1967: 13*. Raja camp belli Wallace,
1967: 24, Fig. 12 (east of Durban). Raja (Dipturus) pullopunctata: Hulley,
1972: 77*.
Disc 1.2-1.4 times as broad as long; maximum angle in front of spiracles
92°_108°; distance from middle of vent to 1st D origin 1.6-1.9 in length
from tip of snout to middle of vent; D (fins) separate. Snout length 3.4-4.1
times interorbital distance. 53-58 rows of teeth in upper jaw. 50-58 predorsal caudal vertebrae. Juveniles with 2 preorbital, 1 postorbital thorn on
/"
("
•
•
25.15 Raja pullopunctata: top: 52 em wide mature male; bottom: 14 em wide
juvenile holotype (both Algoa Bay).
123