Skates are cartilaginous fish belonging to the family Rajidae in the superorder Batoidea of rays. More than 150 species have been described, in 17 genera. Softnose skates and pygmy skates were previously treated as subfamilies of Rajidae, but are now considered as distinct families. Alternatively, the name "skate" is used to refer to the entire order of Rajiformes.
The butterfly rays are the rays forming the genus Gymnura and the family Gymnuridae. They are found in warm oceans worldwide, and occasionally in estuaries.
The Urolophidae are a family of rays in the order Myliobatiformes, commonly known as stingarees or round stingrays. This family formerly included the genera Urobatis and Urotrygon of the Americas, which are presently recognized as forming their own family Urotrygonidae. Stingarees are found in the Indo-Pacific region, with the greatest diversity off Australia. They are sluggish, bottom-dwelling fish that have been recorded from shallow waters close to shore to deep waters over the upper continental slope. Measuring between 15 and 80 cm long, these rays have oval to diamond-shaped pectoral fin discs and relatively short tails that terminate in leaf-shaped caudal fins, and may also have small dorsal fins and lateral skin folds. Most are smooth-skinned, and some have ornate dorsal color patterns.
Bathyraja is a large genus of skates in the family Arhynchobatidae.
Dipturus is a large genus of skates native to the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans. They were formerly included in Raja. Some species initially moved to Dipturus were later placed in Dentiraja, Spiniraja, and Zearaja.
Notoraja is a genus of skates in the family Arhynchobatidae. They are found in deep water in the Indian and western Pacific Oceans.
The spotted legskate is a species of cartilaginous fish, a ray belonging to the family Anacanthobatidae, the smooth skates. It is the only species in the monospecific genus Anacanthobatis. It is found off Mozambique and South Africa. This is a demersal fish occurring on soft substrates on the continental shelf break and upper continental slope at depths of 200–435 m (656–1,427 ft).
Leucoraja is a genus of hardnose skates in the family Rajidae, commonly known as the rough skates. They occur mostly on continental shelves and slopes in the north-western and eastern Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea, the south-western Indian Ocean, and Australia.
Batomorphi is a clade of cartilaginous fishes, commonly known as rays, this taxon is also known as the superorder Batoidea, but the 5th edition of Fishes of the World classifies it as the division Batomorphi. They and their close relatives, the sharks, compose the subclass Elasmobranchii. Rays are the largest group of cartilaginous fishes, with well over 600 species in 26 families. Rays are distinguished by their flattened bodies, enlarged pectoral fins that are fused to the head, and gill slits that are placed on their ventral surfaces.
Wedgefishes are rays of the family Rhinidae, comprising eleven species in three genera. Classified in the order Rhinopristiformes along with guitarfishes and sawfishes, they have also been known as giant guitarfishes or sharkfin guitarfishes.
Sinobatis is a genus of rays in the family Anacanthobatidae native to deep water in the Indo-Pacific Ocean.
Rhinopristiformes is an order of rays, cartilaginous fishes related to sharks, containing shovelnose rays and allied groups.
The Melbourne skate is a species of fish in the belonging to the skate family Rajidae. It is the only species in the genus Spiniraja. It is endemic to southern Australia. Its natural habitat is open seas. It is found at depths up to 345 meters.
The longnose deep-sea skate is a large skate in the family Arhynchobatidae. It was first described in 1985 from specimens collected near New Zealand. It is known to be a deep-water skate, however lack of research trawls at depths past 1500 meters limits knowledge of the depths where the species can be found. The species is dark brown or grey, with an eponymous elongated snout. The species has been measured to be a maximum of 140 cm in total length, although size variation and growth patterns are not known.
Bathyraja andriashevi, the little-eyed skate, is a species of skate in the family Arhynchobatidae found in the western Pacific Ocean.
Bathyraja bergi, the bottom skate, is a species of skate in the family Arhynchobatidae found in the north-western Pacific Ocean.
Bathyraja taranetzi, the mud skate, is a species of skate in the family Arhynchobatidae found in the north-western Pacific Ocean.
Bathyraja tzinovskii, the creamback skate, is a species of skate in the family Arhynchobatidae found in the western Pacific Ocean.
Bathyraja matsubarai, the dusky-purple skate, is a species of skate in the family Arhynchobatidae found in the north-western Pacific Ocean.
