Revised 24 June 2024
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Aetomylaeus Garman 1908 –eus (L. suffix), pertaining to: a combination of Aetobatus (Aetobatidae) and Myliobatis, referring to similarity of body and fins between the two genera
Aetomylaeus asperrimus (Waite 1909) Latin for very rough, referring to upper surface of head and body covered with minute, usually stellate prickles
Aetomylaeus bovinus (Geoffroy St. Hilaire 1817) Latin for bovine (pertaining to oxen or cows), allusion not explained, perhaps referring to its large, prominent head
Aetomylaeus caeruleofasciatus White, Last & Baje 2015 caeruleus (L.), dark blue (but used here to mean blue in general); fasciatus (L.), banded, referring to 7–8 transverse pale-blue bands on dorsal surface (a trait it shares with its closest congener, A. nichofii)
Aetomylaeus maculatus (Gray 1834) Latin for spotted, referring to dark-edged, whitish, roundish spots on dorsal surface
Aetomylaeus milvus (Valenciennes 1841) Latin for kite (bird) or hawk, referring to bird-like wingspan formed by fused pectoral fins [authorship often attributed to Müller & Henle, who published Valenciennes’ description]
Aetomylaeus nichofii (Bloch & Schneider 1801) in honor of Johan Nieuhof (1618-1672), Dutch East India Company, whose illustration of this ray was copied by Francis Willughby in 1686, from which Bloch & Schneider’s description was based [authors corrected spelling to niehofi in corrigenda but original spelling is retained due to prevailing usage]
Aetomylaeus vespertilio (Bleeker 1852) Latin for bat, possibly referring to bat-like wingspan formed by fused pectoral fins
Aetomylaeus wafickii Jabado, Ebert & Al Dhaheri 2022 in honor of Wafic Jabado, father of the first author, for his support for her work and the occasion of his 73rd birthday
Myliobatis Cuvier 1816 mylio, from mýlē (Gr. μύλη), a mill, referring to broad, flat teeth of M. aquila, used to crush clam shells and crustaceans; batís (Gr. βατίς), a flat fish, usually applied to a skate or ray
Myliobatis aquila (Linnaeus 1758) Latin for eagle, referring to broad eagle-like wingspan formed by its fused pectoral fins
Myliobatis californica Gill 1865 –ica (L.), belonging to: California (Tomales Bay), type locality
Myliobatis chilensis Philippi 1892 –ensis, Latin suffix denoting place: Chile (Quinteros), type locality
Myliobatis freminvillii Lesueur 1824 patronym not identified, probably in honor of French naturalist Chrétien Paulin de Fréminville (1787–1848)
Myliobatis goodei Garman 1885 in honor of American ichthyologist George Brown Goode (1851–1896), Assistant Secretary, Smithsonian Institution (Washington, D.C., USA)
Myliobatis hamlyni Ogilby 1911 in honor of English-born Australian entomologist Ronald Hamlyn-Harris (1874–1953), Director of the Queensland Museum
Myliobatis longirostris Applegate & Fitch 1964 longus (L.), long; rostris, Neo-Latin scientific adjective of rostrum (L.), snout, referring to its long, pointed snout, about 12% width of disc compared with 8% in M. californica
Myliobatis peruviana Garman 1913 –ana (L.), belonging to: Callao, Peru, type locality [originally spelled peruvianus; emended to agree with feminine genus]
Myliobatis ridens Ruocco, Lucifora, Díaz de Astarloa, Mabragaña & Delpiani 2012 Latin for laughing or smiling, referring to “peculiar countenance” caused by corners and width of mouth, resembling a smile
Myliobatis tenuicaudata Hector 1877 tenuis (L.), thin or slender; caudata (L.), tailed, referring to “very slender” tail [originally spelled tenuicaudatus; emended to agree with feminine genus]
Myliobatis tobijei Bleeker 1854 from tobi-ei, Japanese name for eagle rays, which translates to black kite (a bird), referring to bird-like wingspan formed by its fused pectoral fins