Memoirs of the Museum of Victoria 48(1): 63-72 (1987)
ISSN 0814-1827
NEW AUSTRALIAN FISHES. PART 15.
NEW SPECIES OF TRYGONOPTERA AND UROLOPHUS (UROLOPHIDAE)
By PR. Last 1 and M.F. Gomon 2
'CSIRO Division of Fisheries Research, GPO Box 1538, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia
'Department of Ichthyology, Museum of Victoria, 328 Swanston Street, Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia
Abstract
Last, P.R. and Gomon, M.F. 1987. New Australian fishes. Part 15. New species of Trygonopiera
and Urolophus (Urolophidae). Mem. Mus. Vict. 48: 63-72.
The following Australian species of stingaree are described herein: Trygonoptera ovalis, T.
personata, Urolophus flavomosaicus, if. mitosis, U. orarius and U. wesiraliensis.
Introduction
The batoid family, Urolophidae, presently con-
tains 11 described Australian species (McKay,
1966; Dixon, 1969). Six new species of the genera
Trygonoptera and Urolophus, are added to this
list. A revisionary study of the family is currently
being undertaken.
Type specimens are deposited in the Australian
Museum, Sydney (AMS), CSIRO Division of
Fisheries, Hobart (CSIRO), Museum of Victoria,
Melbourne (NMV), South Australian Museum,
Adelaide (SAMA) and Western Australian
Museum, Perth (WAM).
Trygonoptera
Trygonoptera Miiller & Henle, 1841: 174.
Type species. Trygonoptera testacea Miiller &
Henle, by monotypy.
Discussion. Most Australian authors have
regarded Trygonoptera as a synonym of Uro-
lophus. Trygonoptera was originally used for
those members of the family that have a dorsal
fin. While this character is unreliable for separat-
ing the genera, there are major differences be-
tween the two in oro-nasal and skeletal structures.
Trygonoptera ovalis sp. nov.
Figure 1
Urolophus species 1. Hutchins & Thompson, 1983: 16, fig.
41.
Material examined. Holotype: Western Australia, Great Aus-
tralian Bight, south of Red Rocks Point (32°24'S, 127°30'E),
30 m, demersal trawl, FRV "Courageous", stn 032/0606, 3
Mar 1978, CSIRO CA521 (female, 210 mm disc width).
Paratypes: Western Australia, Great Australian Bight, east
of Low Point (32°01'S, 128°30'E), 36-38 m, demersal trawl,
FRV "Courageous", stn 031/0589, 17 Feb 1978, CSIRO CA525
(immature male, 208 mm disc width); south of Scorpion Bight
(32°30'S, 126°43'E), 35-36 m, FRV "Soela", stn S05/81/18,
6 Dec 1981, NMV A2817 (female, 302 mm disc width), NMV
A2818 (female, 338 mm disc width); south of Scorpion Bight
(32°24'S, 126°30'E), 30-40 m, demersal trawl, FRV "Coura-
geous", stn 032/0604, 3 Mar 1978, CSIRO CA510 (imma-
ture male, 186 mm disc width); Geographe Bay, Quindalup
(33°38'S, 115°09' E), speared, P. Good, 23 Jan 1981, WAM
P27037-001 (immature male, 151 mm disc width); south of
Mandurah, 42-43 m, FV "Kaiyo Maru 71", D. Heald, 27 Aug
1979, WAM P27285-001 (female, 160 mm disc width); Hout-
man Abrolhos Group (28°29'S, 113°47'E), 4-6 m, rotenoned,
N. Sinclair, 16 Apr 1982, WAM P27585-002 (female, 141 mm
disc width).
Diagnosis. Disc almost oval, slightly longer than
wide; broadest part 1 to 3 eye diameters behind
level of spiracles; anterior profile obtuse. Snout
fleshy, tip not extended. Eye of moderate size, 17-
22% preocular snout length. Posterior margin of
spiracle rounded or angular. Mouth small; about
4 minute papillae on floor. Internasal flap skirt-
shaped, posterior angle not extended into distinct
lobe. Posterolateral border of nostril forming a
broad flattened and fleshy lobe. Tail broad,
rounded in cross-section; of moderate length, 75-
100% disc length; lateral cutaneous folds absent;
dorsal fin small; caudal fin relatively large, lan-
ceolate. Reaches a total length of at least 610 mm.
Dorsal surface greyish to greyish brown; dark
markings below, in front of and between eyes;
often with a dark stripe extending to snout tip
(obvious on juveniles); paired dark patches near
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