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Murray's skate (Bathyraja murrayi) — Arhynchobatidae

Murray's skate

Bathyraja murrayi

The Murray's skate (Bathyraja murrayi) is a saltwater fish of the family Arhynchobatidae that grows up to 60 cm.

Length
60 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
0–800.0 m
Body shape
Irregular
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Commonly eaten

Description

Murray's skate is a skate (Arhynchobatidae) from cold, deep waters of the subantarctic zone around islands in the Southern Ocean. The species grows to about 60 cm and has a flattened, diamond-shaped body with broad pectoral fins and a long, thin tail with rows of thorns. Unlike stingrays it has no venomous spine. As a bottom-dweller it searches cold deep water for worms, crustaceans and small fish; it lays eggs in horny capsules. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Murray's skate?

The Murray's skate has an irregular in shape body and is mainly brown.

Where does the Murray's skate live?

The Murray's skate lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom.

How big does the Murray's skate get?

The Murray's skate grows to a maximum of about 60 cm.

Is the Murray's skate dangerous to humans?

No, the Murray's skate is harmless to humans.

Is the Murray's skate edible?

Yes, the Murray's skate is commonly eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Murrays rog sourced
English name
Murray's skate sourced
Scientific name
Bathyraja murrayi
Family
Arhynchobatidae
Other names
Murray's skate verified

Appearance

Size class
Large verified
Max length (cm)
60.0 verified
Body shape
Irregular sourced
Dominant colour
Brown sourced
Tail shape
Straight inferred

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Max depth (m)
800.0 verified
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

Territorial
No inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes inferred
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred

For anglers

Edibility
Commonly eaten inferred
Fishing method
Bodemvissen met natuurlijk aas (worm, garnaal of vis) op of vlak boven de bodem. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Bathyraja

More from the family Arhynchobatidae

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