Narke Kaup, 1826

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 : 344-345

Genus Narke Kaup, 1826

Onefin sleeper rays / Ṝḁdzḍé

Narke Kaup,1826: 88 . Type species: Raja capensis Gmelin, 1789 , by monotypy.

Narke japonica ( Temminck & Schlegel, 1850)

Japanese sleeper ray / ƂÂṜḁdzḍ

Torpedo (Astrape) japonica Temminck& Schlegel, 1850: 307 , Pl. 140. Lectotype: RMNH D2418 (stuffed), Japan, designated by Boeseman (1947: 224).

Local Synonymy: Crassinarke dormitor: Teng, 1962: 193-194 , fig. 50; Chen & Chung, 1971:8-9, fig. 6; Shen, 1984a: 6; Shen, 1984b: 72; Chen & Yu, 1986: 154; Shen & Wu, 2011: 91, fig.; Chen, 2004: 23.

Taiwan voucher material: ASIZP 57917, 240 mm TL, adult male, Dong-Sha Islands , 2 May 1993 ; ASIZP 60206 (3 speci.), 250 mm TL, adult male, 125 and 142 mm TL, females, Da-xi , 30 Nov. 1997 ; ASIZP 60258 (3 spec.), 2 juvenile males both 180 mm TL, 190 mm TL, female, Da-xi , 31 Dec. 1998 ; ASIZP 60259, 220 mm TL, female, Daxi , 17 Sep. 1998 ; ASIZP 60564, 225 mm TL, adult male, Da-xi, 10 Arp. 1995 ; NMMBP 4410 , Keelung, 26 Nov. 1961 ; NMMBP 6197 , Da-xi , 8 may 2003 ; NMMBP 11609 , Keelung, 18 Dec. 1960 ; NMMBP 15618, 175 mm TL, Dong-gang, 10 Aug. 1022 ; NMMBP 16182 , 75 mm TL, Dong-gang , 14 Nov. 2009 ; NMMBP 16214, 227 mm TL, adult male, Da-xi , 14 Apr. 2012 ; NMMBP 16215, 152 mm TL, Da-xi , 14 Apr. 2012 ; NMMBP 16219, 220 mm TL, female; NMMBP 16387 , Da-xi , 23 Feb. 2012 ; NMMBP 16426, 194 mm TL, female, TungKang , 14 Nov. 2009 .

Remarks: Teng (1962) first reported Narke japonica from Taiwan. Intensity of dorsal coloration and the presence of darker spots at base of dorsal fin or at disc insertions are variable in N. japonica . Narke dipterygia ( Bloch & Schneider, 1801) occurs in the South China Sea off Vietnam and probably off southeastern China as well, just to the southwest of Taiwan, and may eventually be reported from there (we have not found any specimen from Taiwan). Both of these species of Narke are easily distinguished based on bodily proportions and color pattern. Crassinarke dormitor Takagi, 1951 , is frequently reported from Taiwan and elsewhere in the South China Sea, Taiwan Strait and Sea of Japan. This species is commonly believed to be valid and distinct from N. japonica in having a more slender disc and pelvic fins, no real overlap between posterior disc and pelvics, more elongated and slender tail, and slightly darker dorsal color. We note that these features, perhaps excepting the dorsal color, are all indicative of specimens that are poorly preserved and are commonly seen in specimens of many torpediniform species (e.g. Carvalho, 1999b). We have yet to examine well-preserved material (fresh or otherwise) with characters that may separate N. japonica and C. dormitor , and hence we treat Crassinarke dormitor as a junior synonym of Narke japonica . A single photo of a more slender, well-preserved specimen of what appears to be Narke japonica (the preserved specimen was not found) is presented in Shen & Wu (2011, p. 91) as Crassinarke dormitor . Captured as bycatch at least off Dong-gnag and Da-xi, but without commercial importance. As bycatch, Narke japonica can be rather common in these markets.

Conservation status: Unknown.