Änderung wissenschaftlicher Gattungsnamen der Echten Rochen (Raja spp.), Familie Rajidae

Based on a comprehensive compilation and evaluation of hitherto published revisions by international rajid systematists, the U.S. authors McEachran and Dunn (1998) published a summarizing revision on phylogenetic interrelationships within the family Rajidae. The family has been subdivided into the two subfamilies Rajinae and Arhynchobatinae comprising 15 and 11 rajid genera, respectively. Within the Rajinae, seven former subgenera of Raja and Gurgesiella have been newly elevated to generic rank, likewise two former subgenera of Raja within the Arhynchobatinae. As a consequence, generic names have changed for quite a number of mainly former Raja species not only in European and North Atlantic waters. Table 1 presents for comparison a selection of European skate species on the shelf with the former and new generic assignment, as well as their German names. As Fishery Conventions and Societies, as well as regional (e.g., ICES) and international organizations (e.g., FAO) are increasingly using the new scientific name combinations for fishery statistics and in relevant publications, all involved in fisheries should be aware of these nomenclatorial alterations.