Benthobatis moresbyi Alcock, 1898

Description


Dark brown dorsal and ventral surfaces; ventral entirely dark. Snout elongated, usually more than 1/3 in disc length (preocular snout region 40% in disc length in lectotype). Disc oval, longer than wide. Dorsal fins with long, fleshy bases which are much longer than height of the fin (dorsal fin length 50-55% of fin height). Origin of first dorsal well anterior to posterior tip of pelvic fins, close to mid pelvic length; dorsal fins close together, interdorsal space less than length of dorsal bases. Distance between second dorsal and caudal fins much smaller than length of base of second dorsal fin. Caudal fin extremely elongated, reaching almost 1/2 tail length as measured from posterior tips of pelvic fins; caudal fin length 40.4% of distance between cloaca and caudal fin tip (Ref. 48493).

Taxonomic Hierarchy


Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Elasmobranchii

Order: Torpediniformes

Family: Narcinidae

Genus: Benthobatis

Species: Benthobatis moresbyi Alcock, 1898

Climate Zone


  • bathydemersal
  • Location


  • Indian Ocean: Arabian and Laccadive seas (off Travancore coast), Yemen and Somalia; including India (Ref. 118627).
  • Biology


    A benthic species on continental slope. Probably suction feeds on bottom-dwelling invertebrates based on its oral morphology. Biology little known. Maturity size uncertain, probably close to 18 cm TL in males (Ref. 114953).

    Habitat


    bathydemersal