Platyrhina sinensis (Bloch & Schneider, 1801)
Chinese fanray
Platyrhina sinensis
photo by Zhang, J.

Family:  Platyrhinidae (Fanrays)
Max. size:  86.3 cm TL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  demersal; marine, oceanodromous
Distribution:  Northwest Pacific: Chinese coast of Taiwan Strait and in the South China Sea to northern Vietnamese waters; not confirmed from Japanese, South Korean or Taiwanese waters (likely to occur in Taiwan).
Diagnosis:  This species is distinguished from its congeners in having the following set of characters: two rows of thorns (strongly hooked and gradually becoming somewhat embedded toward first dorsal fin origin) on mid-dorsum of tail; no thorns at the anterior part of scapular region; thorns on the orbital, nape and scapular regions not encircled by light yellow or white pigment; dorsal surface covered with minute dermal denticles of uniform size and shape, no obvious larger dermal denticles (smooth to touch) (Ref. 86259).
Biology:  Found inshore (Ref. 9903), above 60 m on rock or rocky sand bottoms (Ref. 11230). Ovoviviparous (Ref. 50449). Biology little known (Ref. 9903).
IUCN Red List Status: Endangered (EN); Date assessed: 29 August 2019 (A2cd) Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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