Kingdom Animalia Class Chondrichthyes Family Rajidae Rank Species | Phylum Chordata Order Rajiformes Genus Dactylobatus | |
Similar Dactylobatus, Fenestraja, Breviraja | ||
Dactylobatus armatus or the Skilletskate, is a small-bodied, deepwater skate.
Contents
Distribution and habitat
The Skilletskate is typically found at depths between 338–625 meters (1,109–2,051 ft). Found in the western central Atlantic, its range extends from South Carolina to southern Florida, the northern Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean coasts of Nicaragua and northern South America.
Description
The Skilletskate is a small skate. Its total length is up to 32 cm. Its body is narrow and features a spatula-shabe lobe from the margin of each pectoral muscle. On the underside of the frontal disc the skate displays characteristic spines.
Relationship to humans
Due to the limited knowledge of its biology and extent of capture in fisheries, this species is assessed as Data Deficient.
References
Skilletskate Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA