Acroteriobatus ocellatus ( Norman, 1926 )

Ebert, David A., Wintner, Sabine P. & Kyne, Peter M., 2021, An annotated checklist of the chondrichthyans of South Africa, Zootaxa 4947 (1), pp. 1-127 : 76

Acroteriobatus ocellatus ( Norman, 1926)

Speckled Guitarfish

Rhinobatus ocellatus Norman, 1926: 967 , fig. 20. Holotype: BMNH 1906.11 .19.26. Type locality: Bird Island , Algoa Bay, South Africa.

Local synonymy: Rhinobatus columnae: Regan, 1908a: 242 . Rhinobatus ocellatus: Norman, 1926: 967 , fig. 20; Barnard, 1927: 1015; Fowler, 1941: 314; Wallace, 1967b: 22, fig. 12. Rhinobatos annulatus: Smith, 1949a: 64 (part), non pl. 3.; Smith, 1961a: 64 (part), non pl. 3; Smith, 1965: 64 (part), non pl. 3. Rhinobatos ocellatus: Compagno, 1986: 131 , fig. 27.6; Compagno et al., 1989: 78, pl.; Heemstra & Heemstra, 2004: 78. Acroteriobatus ocellatus: NPOA, 2013: 58 ; da Silva et al., 2015: 247; Ebert & van Hees, 2015: 146; Last et al., 2016b: 465; Séret et al., 2016a: 82, fig. 10.4; Weigmann, 2016: 920.

South Africa voucher material: Holotype: BMNH 1906.11 .19.26. Non-types: SAIAB 11138 , SAIAB 11141 , SAIAB 13002 .

South African distribution: Endemic. Bird Island, Algoa Bay (EC).

Remarks: Very little is known of this rare species. Its range is not well defined, and the map in Séret et al. (2016a) is inaccurate since the only verified specimens are from Algoa Bay. A detailed revision of the South African Acroteriobatus is required to clarify the status and validity of this species.

Conservation status: DD (2019).