Description: A medium-sized skate. Rhombic shaped disc, with rounded outer corners and a pronounced, pointed snout. Solid tail, a little longer than the body, gradually tapering to the tip, with two small dorsal fins near the rear end. It usually presents a series of 8 thorns on the orbital rims, a medium row of thorns on the nape, and two rows of about 50 thorns from the trunk to the dorsal fins near the end of the tail; also has dermal denticles on the dorsal and part of the ventral surface. Grey above, white below, with faint grey margins of pectoral fins. Dark lines may be present on the dorsal surface, especially on juveniles.
Global Distribution: Eastern Atlantic from Murmansk in Russia to northern Morocco, including Madeira. View Map
BIOLOGICAL FEATURES
Size: Maximum length: male 120 cm (total length); female 111.0 cm (TL).
Reproduction: Distinct pairing with embrace. Oviparous. Eggs are oblong capsules with stiff pointed horns at the corners deposited in sandy or muddy flats. Egg capsules are 7.5-9.9 cm long and 4.5-4.7 cm wide.
Maturity: British Isles (McCully et al. 2012): first maturity: 75 cm (males).
Behavioural ecology: Young may tend to follow large objects, such as their mother.
Population structure & migrations:
ECOLOGICAL FEATURES
Depth range: FishBase: 30 - 550 m.
Habitat: Bathydemersal. Found in relatively cold coastal waters and on upper parts of continental slopes. Most common at depths of around 200 m, but deeper in southern areas.
Feeding habits: Feeds on all kinds of benthic animals, probably preferring fish.
Trophic level: FishBase: 3.5
FISHERIES
Commercial interest: Minor commercial species. Commercially it is not distinguished from other skates of the family Rajidae.
Conservation status: Not evaluated.
Nutritional information & food safety:
REFERENCES
Direcção Regional de Pescas, Madeira.
Ebert D.A., Stehmann M.F.W. (2013). Sharks, batoids, and chimaeras of the North Atlantic. FAO Species Catalogue for Fishery Purposes, No. 7. FAO, Rome, 523 pp.
IUCN (2014). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2014.1. www.iucnredlist.org
McCully S.R., Scott F., Ellis J.R. (2012). Lengths at maturity and conversion factors for skates (Rajidae) around the British Isles, with an analysis of data in the literature. ICES Journal of Marine Science, 69(10): 1812-1822.
Rosa A., Menezes G., Melo O., Pinho M.R. (2006). Weight–length relationships of 33 demersal fish species from Azores archipelago. Fisheries Research, 80(2): 329-332.
