A Systematic Revision of the South American Freshwater Stingrays (Chondrichthyes: Potamotrygonidae) (Batoidei, Myliobatiformes, Phylogeny, Biogeography)

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A Systematic Revision of the South American Freshwater Stingrays (Chondrichthyes: Potamotrygonidae) (Batoidei, Myliobatiformes, Phylogeny, Biogeography) W&M ScholarWorks Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects Theses, Dissertations, & Master Projects 1985 A systematic revision of the South American freshwater stingrays (chondrichthyes: potamotrygonidae) (batoidei, myliobatiformes, phylogeny, biogeography) Ricardo de Souza Rosa College of William and Mary - Virginia Institute of Marine Science Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.wm.edu/etd Part of the Fresh Water Studies Commons, Oceanography Commons, and the Zoology Commons Recommended Citation Rosa, Ricardo de Souza, "A systematic revision of the South American freshwater stingrays (chondrichthyes: potamotrygonidae) (batoidei, myliobatiformes, phylogeny, biogeography)" (1985). Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects. Paper 1539616831. https://dx.doi.org/doi:10.25773/v5-6ts0-6v68 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Theses, Dissertations, & Master Projects at W&M ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects by an authorized administrator of W&M ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact [email protected]. INFORMATION TO USERS This reproduction was made from a copy of a document sent to us for microfilming. While the most advanced technology has been used to photograph and reproduce this document, the quality of the reproduction is heavily dependent upon the quality of the material submitted. The following explanation of techniques is provided to help clarify markings or notations which may appear on this reproduction. 1.The sign or “target” for pages apparently lacking from the document photographed is “Missing Pagefs)”. 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Further Further reproduction reproduction prohibited prohibited without without permission. permission. 8516165 Rosa, Ricardo de Souza A SYSTEMATIC REVISION OF THE SOUTH AMERICAN FRESHWATER STINGRAYS (CHONDRiCHTHYES: POTAMOTRYGONIDAE) The College of William and Mary in Virginia Ph.D. 1985 University Microfilms International300 N. Z eeb R oarj, Ann Arbor, Ml 48106 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Reproduced with with permission permission of ofthe the copyright copyright owner. owner. Further Further reproduction reproduction prohibited prohibited without without permission. permission. PLEASE NOTE: In all cases this material has been filmed in the best possible way from the available copy. Problems encountered with this document have been identified here with a check mark V . 1. Glossy photographs or pages'Z 2. Colored illustrations, paper or print_______ 3. Photographs with dark backgroundZ 4. Illustrations are poor copy______ 5. Pages with black marks, not original copy______ 6. Print shows through as there is text on both sides of page________ 7. Indistinct, broken or small print on several pages ^ 8. Print exceeds margin requirements______ 9. Tightly bound copy with print lost in spine_______ 10. Computer printout pages with indistinct print______ 11. Page(s) lacking when materia! received, and not available from school or author. 12. Page(s)____________seem to be missing in numbering only as text follows. 13. Twc pages numbered . Text follows. 14. Curling and wrinkled pages______ 15. Dissertation contains pages with print at a slant, filmed as received__________ 16. Other ____ University Microfilms international Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Reproduced with with permission permission of ofthe the copyright copyright owner. owner. Further Further reproduction reproduction prohibited prohibited without without permission. permission. A SYSTEMATIC REVISION OF THE SOUTH AMERICAN FRESHWATER STINGRAYS (CHONDRICHTHYES: POTAMOTRYGONIDAE) A Dissertation Presented to The Faculty of the School of Marine Science The College of William and Mary in Virginia In Partial Fulfillment Of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy by Ricardo S. Rosa 1985 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. APPROVAL SHEET This dissertation is submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Ricardo de Souza Rosa Approved, March 1985 - A J o h n Musick, Chairman George C t/G r a n t D. Boon III or ?hn D. McEachran, Texas A & M University Stanley H. Weitzman, National Museum of Natural History ii Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. To the memory of Alexandre V. Boffi my mentor and friend iii Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS............................................... vi LIST OF TABLES................................................viii LIST OF FIGURES..................................................x ABSTRACT....................................................... xvi INTRODUCTION..................................................... 2 METHODS AND MATERIALS........................................... 7 STINGRAYS AND MAN .............................................. 27 TAXONOMIC HISTORY...............................................36 POTAMOTRYGONID AE^ .............................................. 40 THE GENERA OF POTAMOTRYGON I DAE................................ 42 KEY TO THE GENERA OF POTAMOTRYGONIDAE........................ 46 PLESIOTRYGON NEW GENUS........................................47 POTAMOTRYGON............................................... 82 KEY TO THE SPECIES OF POTAMOTRYGON..................... = ,.... 88 Potamotrygon brachyura.................................. 110 Potamotrygon castexi.................................... 126 Potamotrygon constellata................................ 141 Potamotrygon dumerilii...................................158 Potamotrygon falkneri. ...............................175 Potamotrygon henlei..................................... 193 Potamotrygon histrlx.................................... 209 iv Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TABLE OF CONTENTS (continued) Page Potamotrygon humerosa.........................................222 Potamotrygon leopoldi ........................................232 Potamotrygon magdalenae ..................................... 243 Potamotrygon motoro .......................................... 256 Potamotrygon ocellata ........................................276 Potamotrygon orbignyi ................... 284 Potamotrygon schroederi ..................................... 302 Potamotrygon schuemacheri ................................... 315 Potamotrygon scobina ......................................... 324 Potamotrygon signata.......................................... 336 Potamotrygon yepezi ....................................... 345 COMMENTS ON UNIDENTIFIED SPECIMENS OF POTAMOTRYC-ON........ 355 PARATRYGON..................................................... 360 COMMENTS ON DOUBTFUL SPECIES................................. 395 COMMENTS ON INVALID SPECIES.................................. 401 ANALYSIS OF CHARACTERS AND PHYLOGENETIC RELATIONSHIPS...... 403 BIOGEOGRAPHY................................................... 436 CONCLUSIONS.................................................... 460 LITERATURE CITED.......................... ................... 463 APPENDIX A.- MATERIAL EXAMINED............................. 437 APPENDIX B.- FURTHER COMMENT ON THE NOMENCLATURE OF ELIPESURUS .............................................. 498 APPENDIX C.- PARATRYGON, A SENIOR SYNONYM OF DISCEUS. 508 v Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I am greatly indebted to my committee members, Drs. John A. Musick
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