Dipturus lanceorostrata (Rattail skate)

(Wallace, 1967)

Life > Eukaryotes > Opisthokonta > Metazoa (animals) > Bilateria > Deuterostomia > Chordata > Craniata > Vertebrata (vertebrates)  > Gnathostomata (jawed vertebrates) > Chondrichthyes > Elasmobranchii > Batoidei > Rajoidei > Rajidae

Dipturus lanceorostrata (Rattail skate) [Illustration by Ann Hecht ©]

Identification

A grey, light-spotted longnosed skate with an acutely triangular, elongated snout, disk with angular corners, a very slender tail as long as body that tapers from base to tip, a small spine at nape, and underside of disk smooth except for small denticles on snout tip and edges. Colour dark grey above with many small light spots, thorns conspicuously lighter than disk; grey below with lighter areas around gills and at front edge of disk, and black pores.

Size

To at least 82 cm TL, 55 cm DW.

Range and Habitat

East coast, off Limpopo River mouth, southern Mozambique; slope on bottom at 430 to 439 m. Endemic.

Biology

Unknown. A rare skate, known only from three specimens, more wanted.

Human Impact

Possibly taken by offshore trawlers.

Text by Leonard J.V. Compagno, David A. Ebert and Malcolm J. Smale