Big skate

Raja binoculata

Raja binoculata is the largest representative of the Real skate ( Rajidae ) on the Pacific coast of North America. He comes in the northern Pacific from Cape Navarin south of the Russian Chukchi Peninsula on the Bering Strait to the level of Isla de Cedros off the coast of Baja California before.

Features

Raja binoculata is usually 1.80 meters, a maximum of 2.40 meters long and can reach a maximum weight of 91 kg. The front edge of the plate body is slightly concave inwardly, the head is pointed. His two small dorsal fins far back on the tail. A tail fin is missing. On both sides of the tail there is ever a fleshy keel. The pelvic fins are only slightly indented. Some thorns are to the eyes, in adult animals, they are covered with skin. Another thorn is located on the midsection, a thorn series on the pelvic fins, they may be absent, and on the tail top. Otherwise, the body top without major spines, except the small denticles adult specimens. The whitish, sometimes fitted with dark spots, underside is almost completely smooth. The top of Raja binoculata is brown, gray, red-brown or olive color often with rosette-like white spots, dark marbling and two conspicuous eyespot.

Way of life

Raja binoculata lives at depths of three to 800 meters on sandy and silty seabed. It feeds on fish and crustaceans and digs often completely into the ground. Like all genuine Rays he is oviparous ( oviparous ). The eggs are rough, elongated horn capsules, which are 22.8 to 30.5 cm long and 11 to 19.4 cm wide and are provided at the corners with stiff pointed horns.