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Brown ray (Raja miraletus) — Rajidae

Brown ray

Raja miraletus
Family: Rajidae
LC · Least Concern

The Brown ray (Raja miraletus) is a brackish-water fish of the family Rajidae that grows up to 63 cm.

Length
63 cm
Water
Brackish
Depth
17.0–462.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Solitary
Activity
Nocturnal
Body shape
Irregular
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Commonly eaten

Description

The brown ray is a small, diamond-shaped skate of the family Rajidae reaching about 63 cm. The upper side is ochre to reddish-brown with dark speckles, the underside white. Its most striking feature is a pair of bright blue eyespots, each ringed in yellow and black, set on the bases of the pectoral fins. The species lives on soft sand and mud bottoms of the north-eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean, usually between 50 and 150 m, feeding on a variety of bottom animals and fish offal. It is oviparous, laying horny egg cases with pointed horns. The brown ray is regularly landed as a food fish.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Brown ray?

The Brown ray has an irregular in shape body, is mainly brown and shows a spots pattern.

Where does the Brown ray live?

The Brown ray lives in brackish water and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom.

How big does the Brown ray get?

The Brown ray grows to a maximum of about 63 cm. On average the species is around 35 cm.

Is the Brown ray dangerous to humans?

No, the Brown ray is harmless to humans.

Is the Brown ray edible?

Yes, the Brown ray is commonly eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Spiegelrog sourced
English name
Brown ray verified
Scientific name
Raja miraletus
Family
Rajidae
Other names
Brown ray; Brown skate verified

Appearance

Size class
Large verified
Max length (cm)
63.0 verified
Average length (cm)
35.0 verified
Body shape
Irregular sourced
Dominant colour
Brown sourced
Pattern
Spots sourced
Tail shape
Straight sourced
Mouth position
Inferior (downward) inferred
Lips
Thin inferred
Barbels
No verified
Dorsal fins
Two separate sourced
Dorsal spines
No verified

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Brackish sourced
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Min depth (m)
17.0 verified
Max depth (m)
462.0 verified
Origin
Native verified

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore verified
Social behaviour
Solitary verified
Territorial
No verified
Activity
Nocturnal sourced
Reproduction
Separate sexes verified
Sexual dimorphism
Yes sourced

For anglers

Edibility
Commonly eaten verified
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 sourced

Status & sources

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

Same genus Raja

More from the family Rajidae

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