Acroteriobatus leucospilus ( Norman, 1926 )

Ebert, David A., Wintner, Sabine P. & Kyne, Peter M., 2021, An annotated checklist of the chondrichthyans of South Africa, Zootaxa 4947 (1), pp. 1-127 : 75-76

Acroteriobatus leucospilus ( Norman, 1926)

Greyspot Guitarfish

Rhinobatus leucospilus Norman, 1926: 966 , fig. 18. Syntypes: BMNH 1905.6 .8.12 (1), 1920.7.23.1 (1). Type locality: Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

Local synonymy: Rhinobatus blockii : Regan, 1908a: 242 (in part); Gilchrist & Thompson, 1916: 284 (in part); Smith, 1961a: non 64, pl. 3. Rhinobatus leucospilus : Norman, 1926: 966, Fig. 18; Barnard, 1927: 1014; Fowler, 1941: 313; Wallace, 1967b: 24, figs. 10, 13. Rhinobatos blochii: Smith, 1949a : fig. 61 only (= A. leucospilus ). Rhinobatus annulatus : Smith, 1961a: 64 (in part), non pl. 3. Rhinobatos leucospilus: Compagno, 1986: 131 , fig. 27.5; Compagno et al., 1989: 76, pl.; Heemstra & Heemstra, 2004: 78. Acroteriobatus leucospilus: NPOA, 2013: 58 ; da Silva et al., 2015: 247; Ebert & van Hees, 2015: 146; Last et al., 2016b: 465; Séret et al., 2016a: 81, fig. 10.3; Weigmann, 2016: 920.

South Africa voucher material: Syntypes: BMNH 1905.6 .8.12 (1), 1920.7.23.1 (1). Non-types: SAIAB 11142 , SAIAB 11143 , SAIAB 11159 , SAIAB 34588 , SAIAB 189087 .

South African distribution: Central Transkei coast (EC) to northern KZN.

Remarks: This species was thought to be endemic to South Africa, but its range now appears to extend to at least Zanzibar and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Records of this species from Madagascar are of a different species.

Conservation status: EN (2019).