click for previous page 548 Batoid Fishes Breviraja spinosa Bigelow and Schroeder, 1950 En - Spiny shortskate. Maximum size at least 33 cm total length; mature males from 33 cm total length. Benthic along slope, between 366 and 671 m.recorded from North Carolina to the Florida Keys, with questionable record from northeastern Gulf of Mexico. Dorsal surface tan; ventral surface tan, with sooty grey blotches on ventral central disc area. Three rows of small thorns along midline of posterior half of disc. BVS Cruriraja atlantis Bigelow and Schroeder, 1948 En - Cuban limbedskate. Maximum size 34 cm total length; males appear mature at 30 cm. Benthic along slope, between 512 and 777 m. Recorded from east coast of Florida, Florida Keys, Bahamas, and Cuba. Dorsal surface pale brown, with faded crossbands at levels of dorsal fins, dorsal fins black; ventral surface yellowish, with faded blotches on abdomen, posterior disc, and pelvic fins. Interspace between dorsal fins exceeds length of first dorsal-fin base. Several thorns located on nuchal and scapular regions. CJA
Rajiformes: Rajidae 549 Cruriraja cadenati Bigelow and Schroeder, 1962 En - Cadenat s limbedskate. Maximum size 38 cm total length. Benthic along slope, between 457 and 896 m. Recorded from east coast of Florida and Puerto Rico. Dorsal surface light brown with numerous darker brown irregular spots of various sizes but not greater than eye diameter; ventral surface white with outer disc margin grey. Several thorns located on nuchal region and dorsal fins closely spaced. Cruriraja poeyi Bigelow and Schroeder, 1948 En - Poey s limbedskate. Maximum size 34 cm total length; males mature at close to 32 cm total length. Benthic along slope, between 366 and 870 m. Recorded from southern Florida, Florida Keys, Bahamas, Cuba, and southern Gulf of Mexico. Dorsal surface pale brown, usually with dark brown round spots scattered on disc; ventral surface dark brown. Nuchal region generally lacks thorns. CJY
550 Batoid Fishes Cruriraja rugosa Bigelow and Schroeder, 1958 En - Wrinkled limbedskate. Maximum size 49 cm total length; males mature at close to 40 cm total length. Benthic along continental slope, between 366 and 1 007 m. Recorded from east coast of Florida, Florida Keys, throughout Gulf of Mexico, Bahamas, Greater and Lesser Antilles, and Caribbean coasts of Central America and South America.Dorsal surface brown without markings; ventral surface pale brown to bluish. Several thorns generally located on scapular region. Dactylobatus armatus Bean and Weed, 1909 En - Armed fingerskate. Maximum size at least 32 cm total length; mature males with fully-developed claspers unknown. Benthic along upper slope, between 338 and 685 m. Recorded from South Carolina to southern Florida, northern Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean coasts of Nicaragua and South America. Dorsal surface brownish grey, with variously-sized darker blotches; ventral surface yellowish white.lateral contour of disc extended as spatulate process. Double row of curved denticles run along anterior ventral margin of disc.
Rajiformes: Rajidae 551 Dactylobatus clarkii (Bigelow and Schroeder, 1958) En - Clark s fingerskate. Maximum size at least 75 cm total length;males are suspected to mature at great size.benthic along slope, between 366 and 915 m. Recorded from east coast of Florida, throughout Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean coasts of Central and South America, Suriname, and the Lesser Antilles. Dorsal surface pale brown, with white laterally-elongated blotches with darker margins over disc (more prominent in larger specimens); ventral surface whitish. Anterior margin of snout very obtuse and double row of curved denticles along anterior ventral margin of disc. JRR Dipturus bullisi (Bigelow and Schroeder, 1962) En - Bullis skate (AFS: Lozenge skate); Fr - Raie de Bullis; Sp - Raya de Bullis. Maximum size at least 77 cm total length; males mature at around 76 cm total length; neonates 17 cm total length at birth. Benthic along upper slope, between 183 and 549 m. Recorded from the eastern and western Gulf of Mexico, Lesser Antilles, and Caribbean coasts of Central and South America. Dorsal surface uniform light brown;ventral surface dark brown, with darker pigment on ampullary pores of snout and posterior to lower jaw. Orbital and nuchal thorns on disc. JRL
552 Batoid Fishes Dipturus garricki (Bigelow and Schroeder, 1958) En - Garrick s wingedskate. Maximum size 107 cm total length; males mature at 96 cm total length. Benthic along upper slope, between 275 and 476 m. Recorded from northern Gulf of Mexico and Nicaragua. Dorsal surface uniform brown; ventral surface pale dusky bluish, with dark-pigmented ampullary pores anterior to abdominal region. Thorns on scapular region and along midline to origin of first dorsal fin. Dipturus olseni (Bigelow and Schroeder, 1951) En - Olsen s wingedskate (AFS: Spreadfin skate). Maximum size 57 cm total length;males mature at 51 cm total length.benthic along outer continental shelf and upper slope, between 55 and 384 m. Recorded from northern Gulf of Mexico. Dorsal surface dark brown, with undefined darker blotches on disc and light-pigmented ampullary pores; ventral surface grey to black with dark-pigmented ampullary pores. No thorns along midbelt of disc but 3 rows of thorns on tail. Interspace between dorsal fins equal to length of first dorsal-fin base or greater.
Rajiformes: Rajidae 553 Dipturus oregoni (Bigelow and Schroeder, 1958) En - RV Oregon s wingedskate. Maximum size 144 cm total length; males mature between 107 cm and 144 cm total length. Benthic along lower slope, between 475 and 1 079 m. Recorded from the east coast of Florida and northern Gulf of Mexico. Dorsal surface brown; ventral surface pale bluish grey, with dark-pigmented ampullary pores anterior to abdomen. No thorns along midbelt of disc but 3 rows of thorns on tail, with lateral rows of tail compressed and hook-shaped. Dipturus teevani (Bigelow and Schroeder, 1951) En - Prickly brown ray; Fr - Raie rugueuse; Sp - Raya piel de lija. Maximum size 84 cm total length; males mature at 63 cm total length. Benthic along slope, between 311 and 732 m. Recorded from North Carolina to Florida Keys, throughout Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean coast of Central America, northern coast of South America, and Lesser Antilles. Dorsal surface pale brown, with blackish dorsal and caudal fins; ventral surface cream coloured, with ampullary pores of snout region dark-pigmented. No thorns along midbelt of disc but single row of thorns on tail. JAB
554 Batoid Fishes Fenestraja atripinna (Bigelow and Schroeder, 1950) En - Blackfined windowskate. Maximum size 29 cm total length. Benthic along slope, 366 and 951 m. Recorded from North Carolina, southern Florida, Bahamas, and Cuba. Dorsal surface tan to brown, with black dorsal fins and caudal fold; ventral surface creamy, with darker brown, indistinct blotches.anterior lobe of pelvic fin as long or only slightly shorted than posterior lobe. Distance between dorsal fins about equal to length of first dorsal-fin base. Fenestraja cubensis (Bigelow and Schroeder, 1950) En - Cuban windowskate. Maximum size 23 cm total length; mature males at 18 cm to 21 cm total length; neonates about 7 cm total length at birth. Benthic along slope, between 440 and 869 m. Recorded from southeastern Florida, Florida Keys, Bahamas, and Cuba.Dorsal surface pale brown, with darker brown spots and blotches of varying diameter, and cross-bands on tail; ventral surface pale yellowish. Anterior lobe of pelvic fin only slightly shorter than posterior lobe. Thorns along midline of disc inconspicuous. BVU
Rajiformes: Rajidae 555 Fenestraja ishiyamai (Bigelow and Schroeder, 1962) En - Ishiyama s windowskate. Maximum size 36 cm total length.benthic along the slope, between 503 and 950 m.recorded from southeastern Florida, Florida Keys, Bahamas, Cuba, and Caribbean coast of Nicaragua. Dorsal surface uniform greyish brown; ventral surface pinkish white ventrally. Anterior lobe of pelvic fin as long or only slightly shorter than posterior lobe. Fenestraja plutonia (Garman, 1881) En - Underworld windowskate. Maximum size 27 cm total length; males mature at about 23 cm total length. Benthic along slope, between 293 and 1 024 m. Recorded from North Carolina to Florida Keys, Bahamas, northeastern Gulf of Mexico, Costa Rica, and northern coast of South America.Dorsal surface varying from pale yellowish brown to greyish or purplish brown, with dark, irregular blotches over disc and cross-bands on tail;ventral surface yellowish white.anterior lobe of pelvic fin as long or slightly shorter than posterior lobe.
556 Batoid Fishes Fenestraja sinusmexicanus (Bigelow and Schroeder, 1950) En - Gulf-of-Mexico windowskate (AFS: Gulf skate). Maximum size 36 cm total length; males mature at 31 cm to 34 cm total length. Benthic along outer continental shelf and slope, between 56 and 1 096 m. Recorded from southeastern Florida, Bahamas, throughout Gulf of Mexico, Cuba, and Caribbean coast of Nicaragua and Venezuela. Dorsal surface brownish purple, sometimes with irregular dark blotches on disc; ventral surface yellowish white. Anterior lobe of pelvic fin as long or only slightly shorter than posterior lobe.midline of posterior half of disc and tail to origin of first dorsal fin with 3 rows of thorns. Gurgesiella atlantica (Bigelow and Schroeder, 1962) En - Atlantic abyssalskate. Maximum size 49 cm total length; males mature at 42 cm at least. Benthic along slope, between 247 and 960 m.recorded from Nicaragua, Panama, and northern coast of South America.Dorsal surface uniform pale brown, with black caudal fin; ventral surface pale brown to pinkish, with dusky brown blotches on ventral tail surface. Pelvic fins with single, laterally directed, pointed lobe. Dorsal fin usually absent. RGA
Rajiformes: Rajidae 557 Gurgesiella dorsalifera McEachran and Compagno, 1980 En - Dorsal-fined abyssalskate. Maximum size 53 cm total length; males mature at 42 cm total length. Benthic along slope, between 500 and 800 m. Recorded from northern coast of Brazil and southern Brazil. Dorsal surface tanish brown to chocolate brown, with light tan blotches scattered over disc, tan cross-bands on tail, and dark-pigmented ampullary pores; ventral surface light tan, with slightly darker outer disc and pelvic-fin margins. Dorsal fin present. Leucoraja yucatanensis (Bigelow and Schroeder, 1950) En - Yucatan whiteskate. Maximum size 30 cm total length;males mature by 26 cm total length.benthic along upper slope, between 192 and 457 m. Recorded from east coast of Yucatán, Belize, Honduras, and Nicaragua. Dorsal surface pale brownish grey, with small dark spots anteriorly on snout and posteriorly on tail, and with cross-bands on tail; ventral surface uniform pale yellowish. Thorns on nuchal and scapular region in triangular patch. click for next page