Dipturus springeri (Roughbelly skate)

(Wallace, 1967)

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

Dipturus springeri (Roughbelly skate) [Illustration by Ann Hecht ©]

Identification

An all-dark longnose skate with the undersurface uniformly roughened by small denticles, a greatly elongated acutely pointed snout, an angular pectoral disk that is broader than in other longnose skates in the area, no nape thorn, and a moderately stout tail that is not conspicuously swollen. Colour uniform dark grey to blackish above and below with black pores on underside.

Size

To 1.6 m TL and about 1.3 m DW.

Range

Almost entire coast in scattered localities from off Lu"deritz, Namibia to central Mozambique; elsewhere, from off Madagascar and Kenya.

Habitat

Outer shelf and upper slope on bottom at depths of 88 to 740 m, often between 400 to 500 m.

Biology

Eats bony fishes, including round herring and rattails, also crabs and squid.

Human Impact

Probably caught by hake trawlers.

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