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Issue: Vol. 4244 No. 2: 20 Mar. 2017
Type: Article
Published: 2017-03-19
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4244.2.4
Page range: 219–230
Abstract views: 81
PDF downloaded: 4

A new species of velvet skate, Notoraja sereti n.sp. (Rajiformes: Arhynchobatidae) from Papua New Guinea

CSIRO Oceans & Atmosphere, GPO Box 1538, Hobart, TAS, 7001, AUSTRALIA CSIRO National Research Collections Australia-Australian National Fish Collection, GPO Box 1538, Hobart, TAS, 7001, AUSTRALIA
CSIRO Oceans & Atmosphere, GPO Box 1538, Hobart, TAS, 7001, AUSTRALIA CSIRO National Research Collections Australia-Australian National Fish Collection, GPO Box 1538, Hobart, TAS, 7001, AUSTRALIA
School of Natural and Physical Sciences, University of Papua New Guinea, P.O. Box 320, University P.O., National Capital District, PAPUA NEW GUINEA
Pisces Notoraja new species velcro skate Papua New Guinea

Abstract

A new arhynchobatin skate, Notoraja sereti n. sp., is described based on three specimens collected from off Madang (Papua New Guinea) at depths of 800–980 m. This medium-size Notoraja skate shares with other velcro skates from the Western Pacific, N. alisae, N. fijiensis, N. inusitata and N. longiventralis, a ventral surface covering of fine denticles giving the skin a velvety feel. Notoraja sereti differs from all of these species in having a shorter snout (preorbital length 10.1–11.1 vs. 11.5–14.5% TL, prenasal length 8.2–8.9 vs, 9.8–12.1% TL), shorter head (dorsal head length 15.2–16.2 vs. 17.1–19.3% TL, ventral head length 21.6–22.9 vs. 22.9–25.9% TL), fewer pectoral-fin radials (total radials 58–60 vs. 61–74), and fewer vertebrae (predorsal diplospondylous centra 66–71 vs. 72–82, predorsal centra 90–95 vs. 98–107, total centra 126–131 vs. 135–152).

 

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