New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research abstracts
New softnose skate genus Brochiraja from New Zealand (Rajidae: Arhynchobatinae)
with description of four new species
PETER R. LAST
CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research
GPO Box 1538
Hobart
TAS 7001, Australia
JOHN D. McEACHRAN
Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences
Texas A&M University
College Station
Texas 77843, United States
Abstract Brochiraja, a new rajid genus, is defined for a
group of softnose skates from the deep sea adjacent New Zealand. The group
presently contains six species: Brochiraja asperula (Garrick & Paul), B.
spinifera (Garrick & Paul), and four new taxa, B albilabiata sp.
nov., B. aenigma sp. nov., B. leviveneta sp. nov., and B.
microspinifera sp.
nov. These species are closely related to members of the Indo-Pacific genus Notoraja but
three of them differ from all other softnose skates (arhynchobatins) in at
least one presumed synaphomorphy—the presence of a bifurcated thorn on
the mid-distal rostral cartilage that is strongly evident in juveniles and
variably reduced in adults. Placement of B. aenigma, known only from
the post-juvenile holotype, lacks these thorns so its placement in the genus
is provisional. The new species differ from B. asperula, B. spinifera,
and each other, in coloration, morphometrics, squamation, and vertebral and
pectoral-fin counts. The existence of multiple morphotypes of the two pre-existing
nominal taxa suggests that the New Zealand skate fauna has vicariated from
populations isolated from each other on the remote continental slopes, seamounts,
and plateaus of the South-West Pacific.
Keywords Rajidae; Brochiraja; skates; new record; new species;
New Zealand
New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research, 2006, Vol. 40:
65–90
0028–8330/06/4001–0065 © The Royal Society
of New Zealand 2006
M05056; Online publication date 31 January 2006Received 21 August 2005;
accepted 30 November 2005
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