Main Ref. | Marshall, A.D., L.J.V. Compagno and M.B. Bennett, 2009 |
Appearance refers to | Male; Female |
Bones in OsteoBase |
Specialized organs | claspers (m) |
Different appearance | |
Different colors | |
Remarks | Mature females are larger than mature males. Females are deemed mature by evident mating scars (black-and-white marks) on their wing (Ref. 126711). |
Striking features | |
Body shape lateral | other |
Cross section | |
Dorsal head profile | |
Type of eyes | |
Type of mouth/snout | |
Position of mouth | |
Type of scales | placoid scales |
Diagnosis |
This species is characterized by the following: disc approximately 2.2-2.4 times as broad as it is long, the maximum disc width size approximately 550 cm; slender whip-like tail approximately 123% of disc length if intact; no distinct caudal spine or cartilaginous mass at base of tail; some specimens have small hump at the base of the tail on the dorsal surface, while others have a slight depression and groove on the dorsum of the tail immediately posterior to the posterior margin of the dorsal fin; small, knob-like dermal denticles evenly distributed on both the dorsal and ventral surfaces, with ventral surface having slightly larger denticles; dental ligament with small cusped teeth on the lower jaw measuring roughly 22% of total disc length, approximately 6-8 rows, 142-182 files across entire width of the tooth band; total tooth counts of 900-1500 for entire tooth band; top jaw lacks rows of enlarged denticles (Ref. 82755). |
Ease of Identification |
Lateral Lines | Interrupted: No |
Scales on lateral line | |
Pored lateral line scales | |
Scales in lateral series | |
Scale rows above lateral line | |
Scale rows below lateral line | |
Scales around caudal peduncle | |
Barbels | |
Gill clefts (sharks/rays only) | |
Gill rakers | |
on lower limb | |
on upper limb | |
total | |
Vertebrae | |
preanal | |
total |
Attributes | |
Fins number | |
Finlets No. | Dorsal |
Ventral | |
Spines total | |
Soft-rays total | |
Adipose fin |
Attributes |
Fins number | |
Spines total | |
Soft-rays total |
Pectoral | Attributes |
Spines | |
Soft-rays | |
Pelvics | Attributes |
Position | |
Spines | |
Soft-rays |