title: Taxonomic observations on stingrays of the genus Dasyatis (Chondrichthyes: Dasyatidae) in the Gulf of Gabès (Southeastern Mediterranean Sea).
abstract: Four species of stingrays of the genus Dasyatis occur in the Gulf of Gabès, but the taxonomic status of one of them, D. tortonesei has been questioned by several authors, and synonymized with D. pastinaca by some. The present study, using morphological comparisons and genetic analyses, demonstrates that there is a closely related species to D. pastinaca in the Gulf of Gabès, but distinguishable by several characters. This species is provisionally identified as Dasyatis cf. tortonesei, pending a more extensive comparative study including specimens from other regions of the Mediterranean Sea and eastern North Atlantic Ocean.
authors.affiliation: Institut National des Sciences et Technologies de la Mer (centre de Sfax), BP. 1035-3018 Sfax, Tunisie; Email: unknown.
authors.forename: Abdesselem
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Saadaoui
authors.affiliation: Institut National des Sciences et Technologies de la Mer (centre de Sfax), BP. 1035-3018 Sfax, Tunisie; Email: bechirinstm@yahoo.fr.
authors.forename: Bechir
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Saidi
authors.affiliation: Institut National des Sciences et Technologies de la Mer (centre de Sfax), BP. 1035-3018 Sfax, Tunisie; Email: unknown.
authors.forename: Aziza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Elglid
authors.affiliation: Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Département Systématique et Evolution CP5155, rue Buffon, 75231 Paris cedex 05, France; Email: unknown.
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Séret
authors.affiliation: Institut National des Sciences et Technologies de la Mer (centre de Sfax), BP. 1035-3018 Sfax, Tunisie; Email: unknown.
authors.forename: Mohamed N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Bradai
mesh_terms: D063147:Animal Distribution; D000825:Animal Structures / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development; D000818:Animals; D001267:Atlantic Ocean; D049628:Body Size; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D008522:Mediterranean Sea; D009929:Organ Size; D010802:Phylogeny; D012860:Skates, Fish / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development