Bathyraja mariposa: A New Species of Skate (Rajidae: Arhynchobatinae) from the Aleutian Islands

A new species of the skate genus Bathyraja, Bathyraja mariposa, is described from the Aleutian Islands and its geographic and bathymetric range documented. Bathyraja mariposa is similar to Bathyraja violacea and Rhinoraja taranetzi in its moderate maximum size and absence of thorns on the disc. However, it can be clearly distinguished from B. violacea by its distinctive color pattern, uniform covering of fine denticles, and clasper morphology. It can be distinguished from R. taranetzi and other similar western North Pacific species by the lack of a pseudosiphon on the clasper as well as by differences in various morphometric and meristic characters.

Fig. 1.

Bathyraja mariposa n. sp.: (A) holotype, UW 47201, male, 702 mm TL; (B) allotype, UW 47197, female, 760 mm TL; (C) egg capsule (73.8 mm length without horns) extracted from allotype

Fig. 6.

Dorsal view of pelvic girdle of Bathyraja mariposa n. sp. (paratype, UW 47350, male, 695 mm TL). ilp = iliac process, obt = obturator foramina, prep = prepelvic process. Scale bar = 10 mm

Fig. 2.

Lateral view of right clasper of Bathyraja mariposa n. sp. (paratype, UW 47350, 695 mm TL), splayed to show internal components. cf = cleft, hy = hypopyle, pj = projection, pr = pseudorhipidion, sp = spike. Scale bar = 10 mm

Fig. 3.

Dorsal (left), lateral (center), and ventral (right) views of clasper cartilages of Bathyraja mariposa n. sp. (paratype, UW 47350, 695 mm TL). External cartilages removed (dashed lines) to show underlying structure. atr2 = accessory terminal cartilage 2, ax = axial cartilage, dmg = dorsal marginal cartilage, dtr1, dtr2, dtr3 = dorsal terminal cartilages 1, 2, and 3, vmg = ventral marginal cartilage, vtr = ventral terminal cartilage. Scale bar = 10 mm

Fig. 4.

Neurocranium of Bathyraja mariposa n. sp. (paratype, UW 47350, male, 695 mm TL): (A) dorsal view and (B) lateral view. af = anterior fontanelle, antc = antorbital condyle, end = endolymphatic foramen, es = efferent spiracular artery foramen, hf = hyomandibular facet, into = interorbital vein foramen, ja = jugal arch, nc = nasal capsule, obf = otic branch of facial nerve foramen, of = orbital fissure, onc = orbital nasal canal, os = optic stalk, peri = perilymphatic foramen, pf = posterior fontanelle, poc = preorbital canal foramen, postp = postorbital process, prep = preorbital process, ra = rostral appendix, rn = rostral node, rs = rostral shaft, II = optic nerve foramen, III = oculomotor nerve foramen, IV = trochlear nerve foramen, VII = hyomandibular branch of facial nerve foramen. Scale bar = 10 mm

Fig. 5.

Lateral view of scapulocoracoid of Bathyraja mariposa n. sp. (paratype, UW 47350, male, 695 mm TL). adfe = anterodorsal fenestra, avfe = anteroventral fenestra, msc = mesocondyle, mtc = metacondyle, pdf = postdorsal foramina, prc = procondyle, pvf = postventral foramina, rc = rear corner, scp = scapular process. Scale bar = 10 mm

Fig. 7.

Collection localities for Bathyraja mariposa n. sp

Contributor Notes

(DES, JWO, GRH) National Marine Fisheries Service, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, Resource Assessment and Conservation Engineering Division, 7600 Sand Point Way Northeast, Seattle, Washington 98115; and (JDMcE) Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843. (DES) duane.stevenson@noaa.gov Send reprint requests to DES.

Accepted: 23 Dec 2003