A REVIEW OF THE GUITARFISHES OF THE GENUS RHINOBATOS (RAJIFORMES, RHINOBATIDAE) FROM OMAN, WITH DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SPECIES

Twenty-six species are recognized in the guitarfish genus Rhinobatos, of which the following four are recorded from Oman: R. granulatus Cuvi er, R. halavi (Forsskal), R. punctifer Compagno & Randall, and R. sala lah, new species. Rhinobatos salalah, a species of the subgenus Acrote riobatus, is described from a single specimen from the Arabian Sea coa st of southern Oman. It is distinct in having a heart-shaped disc with a width of 2.9 in total length; a short, bluntly pointed snout (preor al length 8.7 in total length, the snout angle 88 degrees); 197 verteb rae; two cutaneous folds on posterior edge of spiracle; and tan colour with faint, dark-edged, bluish white spots the size of pupil or small er on outer part of disc and on pelvic fins. Its closest relative appe ars to be R. blochii Muller & Henle from South Africa which differs in having a single spiracular fold and a broader space between spiracles (5.6-7.6%, compared to 5.1% for R. salalah).