Overview
Family : Skates ; Inhabit shelf and slope waters [1]. Found on sand and rock-sand bottom [2]. A bottom-predator of bony fishes, other elasmobranchs, fish offal , crabs, shrimps, mysids , octopi, and cuttlefish [3]. Minimum depth reported taken from Ref. 4426. Maximum length for female is 202 cm[4]. Oviparous . Distinct pairing with embrace. Young may tend to follow large objects, such as their mother[5]. Eggs are oblong capsules with stiff pointed horns at the corners deposited in sandy or muddy flats[5]. Egg capsules are 12.5-18.3 cm long and 10.0-13.9 cm wide[6]. About 55-156 eggs are produced per individual annually[6].
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Common Names
Click on the language to view common names.
Common Names in Afrikaans:
Spiesneus, Spiesneus Rog, Spiesneus-Rog
Common Names in Albanian:
Raxhe
Common Names in Catalan:
Rajada Blanca
Common Names in Croatian:
Volina Bjelica
Common Names in Danish:
Spidsrokke
Common Names in Dutch:
Witte Rog
Common Names in English:
Bordered Ray, Bordered Skate, Bottlenose, Bottlenose Skate, Bottlenosed Skate, Burton Skate, Owl Skate, Spearnose Skate, White Bordered Skate, White Bottle-Nose Skate, White Skate, White-Bellied Skate
Common Names in Finnish:
Pullonokkarausku
Common Names in French:
Blanquette, Fumat Nègre, Fumat Ngre, Mirayet, Petit Raie-Museau, Petite Raie-Museau, Raie Blanche, Raie Blanche Zone Brune, Raie Blanche à Zone Brune, Raie Blanche Bordèe, Raie Blanche Bordée, Raie Blanche Borde
Common Names in German:
Bandrochen, Gerandeter Rochen, Gerändeter Rochen, Gerndeter Rochen, Gesäumter Glattrochen, Gesumter Glattrochen, Randrochen, Spitzrochen, Weißrochen, Weirochen
Common Names in Greek:
Βάτος, Λευκόβατος, Ράγια, Ράτσα, Ρίνα, Σαλάχι, Βάτος, Λευκόβατος, Ράτσα, Ράγια, Ρίνα, Σαλάχι, Lefkovatos, Salahi
Common Names in Greek, Modern (1453):
Λευκόβατος, Lefkovatos, Salahi
Common Names in Italian:
Baraccoletta, Baracoleta, Bbaròchëlë De Fiure, Bbarchl De Fiure, Chiamita, Mezzaraja, Moro, Picara Liscia, Picaredda, Pichira Liscia, Raja Liscia, Rasa Capusinha, Razza Bianca, Vacche
Common Names in Maltese:
Hamiema
Common Names in Mandarin Chinese:
矛吻鰩, 緣鰩, 矛吻鰩, 矛吻鳐, 緣鰩, 缘鳐
Common Names in Polish:
Raja Siwa
Common Names in Portuguese:
Raia Tairoga, Raia-Branca, Raia-Tairoga, Raia-Teiroga, Tairoga
Common Names in Rumanian:
Vulpe alba, Vulpe Alba
Common Names in Serbian:
Raza Bjelica
Common Names in Spanish:
Cavach, Clavel, Ilisó, Ilis, Raya Blanca, Raya Bramante, Raya Picuda, Rayón, Rayn
Common Names in Swedish:
Grårocka, Grrocka, Spetsnosad Rocka
Common Names in Turkish:
Akvatoz Baligi, Vatoz
Description
Family Rajidae
Benthic rays occurring in all oceans, from Arctic to Antarctic waters and from shallow coastal shelfs to abyssal regions; rare in tropical shallow waters or near coral reefs; some species enter brackish waters. Disc quadrangular to rhomboidal . Mouth transversed to arched, with numerous teeth. Five pairs of ventral gill slits . Tail very slender, with lateral folds, usually 2 reduced dorsal fins and a reduced caudal fin. Electric organs weak, developed from caudal muscles. Skin prickly in most species, the prickles often in a row along midline of dorsal. Oviparous ; eggs in a horny capsule with four long tips . A reversal to egg-laying from live-bearing was observed in this group based on fossil records [7]. Skates feed on other benthic organisms. Skate wings are considered good eating. The following subgenus have been elevated to the genus level: Amblyraja, Dipturus, Fenestraja, Leucoraja, Okamejei, Rajella, Rostroraja[8].The family Rajidae belongs to the Class Elasmobranchii (sharks and rays) and the Order Rajiformes. It contains 14 genera and 200 species. It may be found in Marine and Brackish environments and is primarily Marine. Members of this family are not used in the aquarium trade. Reproductively, most members of this family are nonguarders. The main mode of swimming of adult fish in this family is rajiform. Compared with other fish, the activity level of this family tends to be normal. Members of this family have been dated back to the Cretaceous period. Etymology of this family name : Latin, raja = ray
Habitat
Typically found in water with a depth of 0 to -4,300 meters (0 to -14,108 feet).[9]
Biome: Saltwater . Demersal .
Ecology: This is a benthic
species of sandy and detrital bottoms
from coastal waters
to the upper slope
region between about 40 to 400 m
and exceptionally down
to 500 m (Capape 1976, Stehmann and Burkel 1984, Serena 2005). Du Buit 1974 reports this species to be more prevalent in rocky habitats
. Little is known of this species’ life history
and ecology.
Estimates of size at maturity are 130 cm (males) and 120 cm (females) (Capape 1976). Maximum recorded size is 200 cm, even if is common between 60 and 150 cm of total length (Bauchot 1987). Gestation period
is 15 months and females produce
between 55 to 156 ova per year, egg
cases are 160 to 200 cm in length
and 130 to 150 cm in width
(Stehmann and Burkel 1984, Serena 2005). Age at maturity, longevity
, size at birth, average reproductive age, reproductive periodicity, annual
rate of population growth and natural mortality are all unknown for this skate.
The white skate feeds
on all kinds of bottom dwelling animals (Stehmann and Burkel 1984), especially fish, crustaceans and cephalopods
(Bauchot 1987).
List of Habitats:10.1Marine Oceanic
- Epipelagic (0-200m)
Taxonomy
- Domain:
Eukaryota
(
)
- Whittaker & Margulis,1978
- eukaryotes
- Kingdom:
Animalia
()
- Linnaeus, 1758
- animals
- Subkingdom:
Bilateria
()
- (Hatschek, 1888) Cavalier-Smith, 1983
- Branch:
Deuterostomia
()
- Grobben, 1908
- Infrakingdom:
Chordonia
()
- (Haeckel, 1874) Cavalier-Smith, 1998
- Phylum:
Chordata
()
- Bateson, 1885
- Chordates
- Subphylum:
Vertebrata
()
- Cuvier, 1812
- Vertebrates
- Infraphylum:
Gnathostomata
()
- Auct.
- Jawed Vertebrates
- Class:
Chondrichthyes
()
- Subclass:
Elasmobranchii
()
- Infraclass:
Euselachii
()
- Cohort:
Neoselachii
()
- Superorder:
Batoidea
()
- Order:
Rajiformes
()
- Family:
Rajidae
()
- Skates
- Genus:
Rostroraja
()
- (Lacépède, 1803)
- Specific name:
alba
- (Lacepde, 1803)
- Scientific name: - Rostroraja alba (Lacepde, 1803)
- Specific name:
alba
- (Lacepde, 1803)
- Genus:
Rostroraja
(
- Family:
Rajidae
(
- Order:
Rajiformes
(
- Superorder:
Batoidea
(
- Cohort:
Neoselachii
(
- Infraclass:
Euselachii
(
- Subclass:
Elasmobranchii
(
- Class:
Chondrichthyes
(
- Infraphylum:
Gnathostomata
(
- Subphylum:
Vertebrata
(
- Phylum:
Chordata
(
- Infrakingdom:
Chordonia
(
- Branch:
Deuterostomia
(
- Subkingdom:
Bilateria
(
- Kingdom:
Animalia
(
Ambiguous Synonyms
- Raia bicolor Risso, 1827
Unambiguous Synonyms
- Raia alba Lacepde, 1803
- Raia rostellata Risso, 1810
- Raja alba Lac épède, 1803
- Raja alba Lacepde, 1803
- Raja bicolor Shaw, 1804
- Raja bramante Sassi, 1846
- Raja marginata Lacepde, 1803
- Raja rostellata Risso, 1810
- Rostroraja alba /i> (Lacépède, 1803)
Notes
Name Status: Accepted Name . Latest taxonomic scrutiny: Group expert : McEachran J., Data last modified by FishBase 30-Sep-1999
Similar Species
Members of the genus Rostroraja
ZipcodeZoo has pages for 1 species and subspecies in this genus:
R. alba (White Bottle-Nose Skate)
More Info
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Further Reading
- Al Sakaff, H. and M. Esseen (1999). Occurrence and distribution of fish species off Yemen (Gulf of Aden and Arabian Sea). Naga ICLARM Q. 22(1):43-47.
- Aldebert, Y. 1997. Demersal resources of the Gulf of Lions (NW Mediterranean). Impact of exploitation on fish diversity. Vie et Millieu 47: 275–284.
- Baino, R., Serena, F., Ragonese, S., Rey, J. and Rinelli, P. 2001. Catch composition and abundance of Elasmobranchs based on the MEDITS program. Rapports de la Commission Internationale pour L’Exploration Scientifique de la Mer Mediterranee 36:234.
- Bianchi, G. (1986). Fichas FAO de identifacao de espcies para propsitos comerciais. Guia de campo para as espcies comerciais marinhas e de guas salobras de Angola. Preparado com o apoio da NORAD e da FAO (FIRM) Programa Regular, FAO, Rome. 184 p.
- Bradai, M.N. 2000. Diversité du peuplement ichtyque et contribution à la connaissance des sparidés du golfe de Gabès. Theses de Doctorat d’etat es-sciences naturelles.
- Brander, K. 1981. Disappearance of Common skate Raia batis from Irish Sea. Nature 290: 48–49.
- Brito, A. (1991). Catalogo de los pesces de las Islas Canarias. Francisco Lemus, la Laguna. 230 p.
- Bruce, J.R., J.S. Colman and N.S. Jones (1963). Marine fauna of the Isle of Man. Memoir No. 36. Liverpool University Press, Liverpool.
- Capapé, C. 1976. Contribution a la biology des rajidae des cote Tunisienees Raja alba Lacepede 1803: Repartition geographique et bathymetrique, sexuality, reproduction, fecondite. Ann. Ir. St. 56: 285–306.
- Compagno, L.J.V., D.A. Ebert and M.J. Smale (1989). Guide to the sharks and rays of southern Africa. New Holland (Publ.) Ltd., London. 158 p.
- Dulvy, N.K. and Reynolds, J.D. 2002. Predicting extinction vulnerability in skates. Conservation Biology. 16: 440-450.
- Dulvy, N.K., Metcalfe, J.D., Glanville, J., Pawson, M.G., and Reynolds, J.D. 2000. Fishery stability, local extinctions and shifts in community structure in skates. Conservation Biology. 14: 283-293.
- FAO. 2005. Report of the seventh session of the Scientific Advisory Committee. Rome, 19-22 October 2004. FAO Fisheries Report No. 763. Rome, FAO.
- Holden, M.J. 1977. Elasmobranchs. In: J.A. Gulland Fish population dynamics. pp: 187-214. J. Wiley and Sons.
- Hulley, P.A. (1986). Rajidae. p. 115-127. In M.M. Smith and P.C. Heemstra (eds.) Smiths' sea fishes. Springer-Verlag, Berlin.
- International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES). 2006. Report on the Working Group of Elasmobranch Fishes (in prep).
- Jukic-Peladic S., Vrgoc N., Krstulovic-Sifner S., Piccinetti C., Piccinetti-Manfrin G., Marano G. and Ungaro, N. 2001. Long-term changes in demersal resources of the Adriatic Sea: comparison between trawl surveys carried out in 1948 and 1998. Fish. Res. 53: 95–104.
- Marano, C.A., Manfrin-Piccinetti, G., Pasolini, P., Tinti, F. and Ungaro, N. 2003. Annotated checklist of the skates (Chondrichthyes, Rajidae) in the Adriatic Sea. Biologia Marina Mediterránea 10(2): 856–862.
- McEachran, John D., and Katherine A. Dunn 1998. Phylogenetic Analysis of Skates, a Morphologically Conservative Clade of Elasmobranchs (Chondrichthyes: Rajidae). Copeia, vol. 1998, no. 2. 271-290.
- Ragonese, C.S., Cigala Fulgosi F., Bianchini, M.L., Norrito, G. and Sinacori, G. 2003. Annotated check list of the skates (Chondrichthyes, Rajidae) in the Strait of Sicily (Central Mediterranean). Biologia Marina Mediterránea 10(2): 874–881.
- Rogers, S.I. and Ellis, J.R. 2000. Changes in the demersal fish assemblages of British coastal waters during the 20th century. ICES Journal of Marine Science 57: 866–881.
- Sanches, J.G. (1991). Catlogo dos principais peixes marinhos da Repblica de Guin-Bissau. Publicaes avulsas do I.N.I.P. No. 16. 429 p.
- Schembri, T., Fergusson, I.K. and Schembri, P.J. 2003. Revision of the records of sharks and rays species from the Maltese Islands (Chordata: Chondrichthyes). The Central Mediterranean Naturalist de Oceanología Academia de Ciencias de Cuba and Centro de Investigaciones de Quintana Roo, Mexico. 4(1): 71–104.
- Serena, F. 2005. Field identification guide to the sharks and rays of the Mediterranean and Black Sea. FAO Species Identification Guide for Fishery Purposes. FAO, Rome.
- Serena, F., Mancusi, C., Barone, M. and Abella, A.J. 2005. Abundance and distribution of rays in the south Ligurian and north Thyrrenian Sea. 2005 ICES Annual Science Conference; Theme Session on Elasmobranch Fisheries Science, 20-24 September 2005. CM2005/N:20
- Serena, F., Vacchi, M., Relini, G., Mò, G., Costantini, M. and Notarbartolo di Sciara, G. 2002. Status of the application of the IPOA-SHARKS to the Mediterranean and proposals of co-ordinated initiatives aimed at further developments. Biologia Marina Mediterranea 9(1): 836–851.
- Shark Specialist Group. For more information, see the Specialist Group website.
- Sion, L., D’Onghia, G., Tursi, A. and Matarrese, A. 2003. Annotated check list of the skates (Chondrichthyes, Rajidae) in the North-Western Ionian Sea. Biol. Mar. Medit. 10(2): 935–940.
- Stehmann, M. (1990). Rajidae. p. 29-50. In J.C. Quero, J.C. Hureau, C. Karrer, A. Post and L. Saldanha (eds.) Check-list of the fishes of the eastern tropical Atlantic. Junta Nacional de Investigaao Cientifica e Tecnolgica, Lisbon, Portugal. Vol. 1.
- Stehmann, M. and Burkel, D.L. 1984. Rajidae. In: P.J.P. Whitehead, M.-L. Bauchot, J.-C. Hureau, J. Nielsen & E. Tortonese (eds) Fishes of the North-eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean. Vol. 1. pp: 163–196. UNESCO, Paris.
- Stehmann, M. and D.L. Brkel (1984). Rajidae. p. 163-196. In P.J.P. Whitehead, M.-L. Bauchot, J.-C. Hureau, J. Nielsen and E. Tortonese (eds.) Fishes of the north-eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean. UNESCO, Paris. vol. 1.
- Vacchi, M. and Notarbartolo di Sciara, G. 2000. I pesci cartilaginei nei mari italiani, una risorsa che richiede urgenti misure di tutela. Biologia Marina Mediterránea 7(1): 296–311.
- Walker, P.A. and Hislop, J.R.G. 1998. Sensitive skates or resilient rays? Spatial and temporal shifts in ray species composition in the central and north-western North Sea between 1930 and the present day. International Council for Exploration of the Seas. Journal of Marine Science 55: 392-402.
Notes
Contributors
- Bisby, F.A., Y.R. Roskov, M.A. Ruggiero, T.M. Orrell, L.E. Paglinawan, P.W. Brewer, N. Bailly, J. van Hertum, eds (2007). Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life: 2007 Annual Checklist. Species 2000: Reading, U.K.
- Dulvy, N.K., Pasolini, P., Notarbartolo di Sciara, G. Serena, F., Tinti, F., Ungaro, N., Mancusi, C. & Ellis, J.E. 2006. In IUCN 2008. 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCNRedList.org. Downloaded July 18, 2008.
- FishBase 2006.
- Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Accessed February 23, 2007. http://www.gbif.org Mediated distribution data from provider.
Data Sources
Accessed through GBIF Data Portal December 20, 2007:
- Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences, Rutgers University, iziko South African Museum - Shark Collection
Identifiers
- Biodiversity Heritage Library NamebankID: 2501218
- Catalogue of Life Accepted Name Code: Fis-131821
- Fishbase Species ID: 7613
- Global Biodiversity Information Facility Taxonkey: 13676240
- Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) Taxonomic Serial Number (TSN): 564123
- IUCN ID: 61408
- Zipcode Zoo Species Identifier: 123514
Footnotes
- Stehmann, M. (1990). Rajidae. p. 29-50. In J.C. Quero, J.C. Hureau, C. Karrer, A. Post and L. Saldanha (eds.) Check-list of the fishes of the eastern tropical Atlantic. Junta Nacional de Investigaao Cientifica e Tecnolgica, Lisbon, Portugal. Vol. 1. [back]
- Brito, A. (1991). Catalogo de los pesces de las Islas Canarias. Francisco Lemus, la Laguna. 230 p. [back]
- Compagno, L.J.V., D.A. Ebert and M.J. Smale (1989). Guide to the sharks and rays of southern Africa. New Holland (Publ.) Ltd., London. 158 p. [back]
- Postel E. and Du Buit M. H. (1964). Liste des poissons observs la crie de Concarneau en fin Juillet-dbut Aot 1964. Tailles maximales enregistres. Bulletin de la Socit Scientifique de Bretagne 39: 113-117. [back]
- Breder, C.M. and D.E. Rosen (1966). Modes of reproduction in fishes. T.F.H. Publications, Neptune City, New Jersey. 941 p. [back]
- Bor, P. (2002). Egg-capsules of sharks and skates. www.rajidae.tmfweb.nl/rogtabel.html [back]
- Dulvy, N.K. and J.D. Reynolds (1997). Evolutionary transitions among egg-laying, live-bearing and maternal inputs in sharks and rays. Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B 264:1309-1315. [back]
- McEachran, J.D. and K.A. Dunn (1998). Phylogenetic analysis of skates, a morphologically conservative clade of elasmobranchs (Chondrichthyes: Rajidae). Copeia 1998(2):271-290. [back]
- Mean = -170.020 meters (-557.808 feet), Standard Deviation = 384.500 based on 529 observations. Ocean depth information for each observation from British Oceanographic Data Centre. [back]
