Rhinoptera jayakari Boulenger, 1895

Oman Cownose Ray

Rhinoptera jayakari Boulenger, 1895: 141 . Holotype (unique): BMNH 1894.3.21.13 (skin). Type locality: Muscat, Oman, Gulf of Oman, Arabian Sea, northwestern Indian Ocean.

Local synonymy: Rhinoptera javanica: Smith, 1952d: 1020; Smith, 1961a: 504, fig. 77a; Wallace, 1967c: 23, fig. 11; Compagno, 1986: 133, fig. 28.4; Compagno et al., 1989: 114, pl.; Compagno, 1999: 118; Heemstra & Heemstra, 2004: 87; Ebert & van Hees, 2015: 148. Rhinoptera jayakari: Last et al., 2016l: 736, fig. 32.4; Weigmann, 2016: 988.

South Africa voucher material: SAIAB 7855 [ex ORI], SAIAB 7857 [ex ORI B646], SAIAB 7858 [ex ORI B347] (All SAIAB specimens accessioned as Rhinoptera javanica).

South African distribution: Amanzimtoti (south of Durban) to KZN border with Mozambique.

Remarks: The only Rhinoptera species in South Africa, previous records referred to R. javanica, which does not occur off East or South Africa. Rhinoptera jayakari only marginally occurs in South African waters off KZN.

Conservation status: NE.