Okamejei Ishiyama, 1958b

Ebert, David A., White, William T., Ho, Hsuan-Ching, Last, Peter R., Nakaya, Kazuhiro, Séret, Bernard, Straube, Nicolas, Naylor, Gavin J. P. & De Carvalho, Marcelo R., 2013, An annotated checklist of the chondrichthyans of Taiwan, Zootaxa 3752 (1), pp. 279-386 : 354-356

Genus Okamejei Ishiyama, 1958b

Spiny Rasp Skates /´ǎé

Okamejei (subgenus of Raja ) Ishiyama, 1958b: 354. Type species: Raja fusca Garman, 1885 , by original designation.

Okamejei acutispina ( Ishiyama, 1958b)

Sharpspine Skate / ȀỢ´ǎ

Raja (Okamejei) acutispina Ishiyama, 1958b: 358 , pl. 2 N, fig. 74. Holotype: 413 mm TL, off Shimane Prefecture, Sea of Japan, 3 Dec 1952; whereabouts unknown.

Local synonymy: Raja acutispina: Chen & Chung, 1971: 24 , fig. 18 (THUP2150); Chen & Yu, 1986: 151. Raja (Okamejei) acutispina: Chen & Joung, 1989: 6-7 , fig. 4; Chen & Joung, 1993: 76, pl. 10 (fig. 4). Okamejei acutispina: Shao et al., 2008: 237 ; Shen & Wu, 2011: 95.

Taiwan voucher material: (9 spec.) CSIRO H 7394-13 (tissue accession GN9962 ), adult male 358 mm TL , CSIRO H 7394-14 (tissue accession GN9963 ), adult male 368 mm TL , HUMZ 213844 (tissue accession GN9966 ), adult male 424 mm TL , MNHN 2013-0486 (tissue accession GN9964 ), adolescent male 355 mm TL , MNHN 2013-0487 (tissue accession GN9965 ), female 429 mm TL, Da-xi, 13 Mar 2012 ; HUMZ 213845 (tissue accession GN9997 ), female 445 mm TL , CSIRO H 7395-16 (egg case from HUMZ 213845 ) , CSIRO H 7395-24 (tissue accession GN9996 ), juvenile male 252 mm TL, Da-xi, 14 Mar 2012 ; CSIRO H 7396-04 , female 175 mm TL, Nan-fang-ao, 14 Mar 2012 . A large number of specimens of this species were recently collected and deposited in the NMMB-P fish collection.

Remarks: A common species in Taiwan, but possibly representing a species complex within the region. More work is needed to understand the extent of local variations.

Conservation status: Data Deficient.

Okamejei boesemani ( Ishihara, 1987)

Black Sand Skate / Ằk´ǎ

Raja (Okamejei) boesemani Ishihara, 1987: 248 , fig. 6. Holotype: MTUF-P 25916 , adult male 468.5 mm TL, East China Sea, 32°15′ N, 125°05′ E, 25 May 1950.

Local synonymy: Raja hollandi (not of Jordan & Richardson, 1909): Chu, 1960:141; Chu et al., 1963: 58; Chen & Chung, 1971: 22, fig. 15; Chen & Joung, 1989: 8, fig. 5 (8 spec.); Shen, 1984a: 74, fig. Okamejei boesemani: Chen, 2004: 24 ; Shao et al., 2008: 237; Shen & Wu, 2011: 95, fig. Raja (Okamejei) boesemani: Chen & Joung, 1993: 76 : pl. 10 (fig. 5).

Taiwan voucher material: More recently, a large amount of specimens have been collected from off SW Taiwan from fish markets and deposited at NMMB-P collection. These specimens need to be closely examined.

Remarks: Drawing in Chen & Chung (1971) is of THUP 03138 (as Raja hollandi ), but the specimen location could not be verified. This species may possibly represent a species complex in the region.

Conservation status: Data Deficient.

Okamejei hollandi ( Jordan & Richardson, 1909)

Yellow-spotted Skate / Ük´ǎ

Raja boesemani Jordan & Richardson, 1909: 163, pl. 64. Holotype: FMNH 52101 , adult female 412 mm TL, Takao , Kaohsiung, Taiwan, 1906.

Local synonymy: Raja hollandi : Jordan & Richardson, 1909: 163, pl. 64; Fowler, 1941:370; Chen, 1948: 2; Chen & Yu, 1986: 150. Raia hollandi: Garman, 1913: 351 . Raja (Okamejei) hollandi ; Chen & Joung, 1989: 8-9, fig. 6; Ishihara, 1987: 256, figs 12, 15; Chen & Joung, 1993: 76, pl. 10 (fig. 6); Raja olseni (not of Bigelow & Schroeder, 1951): Chen & Chung, 1971:23; Shen, 1984a: 74. Raja tengu (not of Jordan & Fowler, 1903); Shen, 1984b: 6. Okamejei hollandi: Chen, 2004: 24 ; Shao et al., 2008: 237; Ho & Shao, 2011: 20; Shen & Wu, 2011: 96, fig.

Taiwan voucher material: (3 spec.) FMNH 52101 (holotype), adult female 412 mm TL, Kaohsiung, 1906 ; HUMZ 213846 (tissue accession GN10110 ), female 370 mm TL, Dong-gang , 18 Mar 2012 ; AMNH 258307 (tissue accession GN10108 ), female 416 mm TL, Dong-gang, Mar 2012. A large number of specimens of this species were recently collected and deposited in the NMMB-P collection.

Remarks: Distinctive skate with a thin tail and long interdorsal distance.

Conservation status: Data Deficient.

Okamejei kenojei ( Müller & Henle, 1841)

Spiny Skate / Ō´ǎ

Raja kenojei Müller & Henle, 1841: 149 , pl. 48. Lectotype (stuffed): RMNH D2499 , juvenile female 370 mm TL, Nagasaki fish market, Japan.

Local synonymy: This species is often confused with Dipturus kwangtungensis so the synonymy below should be treated with caution. Raja porosa: Koo, 1933:18 ; Chen, 1948: 4, fig. 3; Chang et al. 1955: 32; Shen, 1984a: 74, fig. Raja kenojei: Chen, 1948: 5 , fig. 4; Chen & Chung, 1971: 20, fig. 14 (NTUM 63, 413 mm TL); Yu, 1988: 9. Raja porosa porosa: Teng, 1962: 212 ; Chen & Chung, 1971: 25; Chen & Yu, 1986: 151. Raja (Okamejei) kenojei: Chen & Joung, 1989: 9-10 , fig. 7; Chen & Joung, 1993: 76, pl. 10 (fig. 7). Raja (Okamejei) porosa: Ishiyama, 1967: 19 . Dipturus kenojei: Chen, 2004: 24 . Okamejei kenojei: Shao et al., 2008: 237 ; Shen & Wu, 2011: 96, fig. Raja fusca: Chen & Chung, 1971: 19 (NTUM 63, 413 mm TL); Shen, 1984a: 74, fig.; Chen & Yu, 1986: 150. Raja katsukii Chang et al., 1955: 34 .

Taiwan voucher material: A large number of specimens of this species were recently collected and deposited in the NMMB-P collection.

Remarks: Contention exists about the status of this species in Taiwan. Needs further investigation of the type, a stuffed specimen to confirm its identity and a re-evaluation of the whole synonymy.

Conservation status: Data Deficient.

Okamejei meerdervoortii (Bleeker, 1860)

Bigeye Skate / Ȑk´ǎ

Raja meerdervoortii Bleeker, 1860b: 66 . Holotype: RMNH 7432 , adult male, 320 mm TL, Nagasaki, Japan.

Local synonymy: Raja macrophthalma: Ishiyama, 1950: 35 ; Chen & Chung, 1971: 22, fig. 16 (THUP 3558, misidentified of O. kenojei ). Okamejei meerdervoortii: Shao et al., 2008: 237 ; Shen & Wu, 2011: 96, fig.; Raja (Okamejei) meerdervoortii: Ishiyama, 1958b: 363 ; 1967:16; Chen & Joung, 1989: 10-11, fig. 8; Chen & Joung, 1993: 76, pl. 10 (fig. 8).

Taiwan voucher material: A drawing of Raja macrophthalmus in Chen & Chung (1971) is of a specimen ( THUP 3558) that may be this species, but the specimen could not be located to verify its identification.

Remarks: Status of this species in Taiwan and its relationship to the Japanese skate, O. macrophthalma , needs to be clarified. All of the specimens identified as O. meerdervoortii that we could find were actually misidentifications of O. kenojei . We could find no confirmed records of this species from Taiwanese waters.

Conservation status: Data Deficient.