Springeria stenosoma Li & Hu, 1982

White, William T. & Last, Peter R., 2013, Notes on shark and ray types at the South China Sea Fisheries Research Institute (SCSFRI) in Guangzhou, China, Zootaxa 3752 (1), pp. 228-248 : 240

Springeria stenosoma Li & Hu, 1982

[= Sinobatis stenosoma ? (Li & Hu in Chu et al., 1982)]

( Figures 17–18 )

Springeria stenosoma Li & Hu in Chu, Meng, Hu & Li, 1982: 306, fig. 5 (South China Sea).

Anacanthobatis stenosomus – Séret, 1986: 323; McEachran & Dunn, 1998: 285; Ebert & Compagno, 2007: 122. Anacanthobatis stenosoma – Compagno, 1999: 493; Compagno in Randall & Lim, 2000: 582; Last & Séret, 2008: 33.

Material examined. SCSFRI O 0065 (holotype), female 520 mm TL, South China Sea, 19°39.6’ N, 114°02.2’ E, depth 534 m, 4 Oct 1980 .

Remarks. Described by Li & Hu in Chu et al. (1982) based on a single female specimen collected in the South China Sea. As discussed above for S. nanhaiensis , the generic placement and validity of this species is unknown. Last & Séret (2008) elevated the subgenus Sinobatis Hulley, 1973 to generic level, and also recommended the elevation of Springeria Bigelow & Schroeder, 1951 and Schroederobatis Hulley, 1973 to generic level. The characters separating the different genera relate primarily to clasper structure and since only a single female specimen of S. stenosoma is currently known, its generic placement remains unknown until additional material can be collected. It clearly differs from Springeria melanosoma in being brownish grey dorsally (vs. much darker) and pale ventrally (vs. dark). The female holotype is 520 mm in length suggesting it is possibly too large to be conspecific with S. borneensis . Based on the illustrations of S. dongahaiensis , S. stenosoma clearly has a much longer snout with a relatively narrow disc. It should be noted that the holotype of S. dongahaiensis was a much smaller female (325 mm TL) with the shape differences attributable to ontogenetic variability. Pending a thorough review of the western North Pacific anacanthobatids, this species should be considered as questionably valid as Sinobatis stenosoma (Li & Hu in Chu et al., 1982).

Figures

FIGURE 17. Dorsal view of the holotype of Springeria stenosoma SCSFRI O 0065 (female 520 mm TL).

FIGURE 18. Ventral view of snout of the holotype of Springeria stenosoma SCSFRI O 0065 (female 520 mm TL).