Thornback Skate, Dentiraja lemprieri (Richardson, 1845)
Scientific name: Dentiraja lemprieri
Click to enlarge image
A Thornback Skate at a depth of 12 m, Tranmere, Tasmania, 15 April 2010.
Image: William White
© William White
© William White
Fast Facts
-
Classification
- Genus
- Dentiraja
- Species
- lemprieri
- Family
- Rajidae
- Order
- Rajiformes
- Class
- Chondrichthyes
- Subphylum
- Vertebrata
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Kingdom
- Animalia
-
- Size Range
- It grows to about 55 cm in length.
Introduction
The Thornback Skate is brown to grey-black with fine spots and reticulations. It is an Australian endemic.
Identification
The Thornback Skate has a short snout, widely spaced eyes and a broad depressed tail. There are spines on the sides of the head level with the eyes (malar spines) and also behind the head (nuchal spines).
Distribution
The species is endemic to Australia, occurring in continental shelf waters of Victoria, Tasmania and eastern South Australia.
The map below shows the Australian distribution of the species based on public sightings and specimens in Australian Museums. Click on the map for detailed information. Source: Atlas of Living Australia.
Distribution data sourced from the Atlas of Living Australia
References
- Last, P.R. & J.D. Stevens. 2009. Sharks and Rays of Australia. Edition 2. CSIRO. Pp. 644, Pl. 1-91.
