#rajids

Colombian researchers at the National University of Colombia and the Colombian Foundation for the Research and Conservation of Sharks and Squalus (Squalus) were able to breed Magdalena river stingrays (Potamotrygon magdalenae) in captivity, after two effort year.

The Magdalena river stingray, as its names says, is estricted to the Magdalena and Atrato River basins in Northern Colombia, but it is locally abundant and among the predominant fish species in its range. Despite the rays is not vulnerable, the result of the work is the starting point of an opportunity to reduce the fishing pressure on the wild populations of this endemic species, and to propose conservation strategies, since the young are captured for ornamental purposes and due to the collapse of fisheries of other species, adults of the Magdalena Stingray are captured for subsistence.

Photo: Unimedios

The deepwater chondrichthyan fauna of Papua New Guinea is very poorly understood, despite its rich biodiversity. But recent surveys conducted between 2010 and 2014 by the RV Alis have provided new records of shark and ray species from this region.

Collected during the 2012 expedition off Madang, and reported as softnose skate (Insentiraja subtilispinosa), recent examination of these specimens revealed that they actually represent an undescribed species, recently named Papuan velvet skate (Notoraja sereti), belonging to a subgroup known as the ‘velcro skates’ (because they are covered dorsally and ventrally with fine spinular denticles). This species represents the only species of softnose skate (Family Arhynchobatidae) currently known to occur in Papua New Guinea.

- The Papuan Velvet Skate (Notoraja sereti), lives at depths of 800–980 m.

Also, examination of lantern sharks collected during these surveys (currently housed in Taiwanese fish collections) showed a new species. One of the lantern shark were mistakenly identified at first as Etmopterus brachyurus, but upon detailed examination were determined to represent an undescribed species based on several differences in key characteristics. Furthermore, DNA sequence analysis also confirmed a new species. The new species called Papuan lanternshark (Etmopterus samadiae) is known from off the northern Papua New Guinea mainland, from west of Kairiru Island in East Sepik Province to off Lae in the Huon Gulf (Morobe Province) and at a depth range of 340 to 785 m. 

- Lateral view of Etmopterus samadiae, adult male fresh and post-preservation (click to enlarge)

White et al., 2017 A new species of velvet skate, Notoraja sereti n.sp. (Rajiformes: Arhynchobatidae) from Papua New Guinea. Zootaxa.