| Sandy ray | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Illustration of dorsal surface, Jonathan Couch | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Chondrichthyes |
| Subclass: | Elasmobranchii |
| Superorder: | Batoidea |
| Order: | Rajiformes |
| Family: | Rajidae |
| Genus: | Leucoraja |
| Species: | L. circularis |
| Binomial name | |
| Leucoraja circularis (Couch, 1838) | |
| Synonyms | |
Raia circularis Contents | |
The sandy ray (Leucoraja circularis) or sandy skate [2] is a species of ray in the family Rajidae. [3] [4]
It maximum length is 1.2 m (3 ft 11 in), typical adults measuring 70 cm (2.3 ft). It has a short snout with a spinulose reddish-brown dorsal surface, a tail only slightly longer than body, and a white underside. A distinctive feature is the 4–6 creamy-coloured spots on each wing. [5]
The sandy ray lives in the demersal zone of the offshore waters of Western Europe and the Mediterranean Sea, at depths between 70 m (230 ft) and 676 m (2,218 ft). [6] According to the FAO this species should be considered extinct in Mediterranean Sea, but recent records contradict this view. [7]
The sandy ray lays its eggs between August and November and feeds on benthic invertebrates and small bony fish. [8]
The silvertip shark is a large species of requiem shark, in the family Carcharhinidae, with a fragmented distribution throughout the tropical Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is often encountered around offshore islands and coral reefs, and has been known to dive to a depth of 800 m (2,600 ft). The silvertip shark resembles a larger and bulkier grey reef shark, but can be easily identified by the prominent white margins on its fins. It attains a maximum length of 3 m (10 ft).
Mullus barbatus is a species of goatfish found in the Mediterranean Sea, Sea of Marmara, the Black Sea and the eastern North Atlantic Ocean, where its range extends from Scandinavia to Senegal. They are fished, mostly by trawling, with the flesh being well regarded. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed their conservation status as being of "least concern".
Rhina ancylostoma, the bowmouth guitarfish, shark ray or mud skate, is a species of ray and a member of the family Rhinidae. Its evolutionary affinities are not fully resolved, though it may be related to true guitarfishes and skates. This rare species occurs widely in the tropical coastal waters of the western Indo-Pacific, at depths of up to 90 m (300 ft). Highly distinctive in appearance, Rhina ancylostoma has a wide and thick body with a rounded snout and large shark-like dorsal and tail fins. Its mouth forms a W-shaped undulating line, and there are multiple thorny ridges over its head and back. It has a dorsal color pattern of many white spots over a bluish gray to brown background, with a pair of prominent black markings over the pectoral fins. This large species can reach a length of 2.7 m (8.9 ft) and weight of 135 kg (298 lb).
The Maltese skate, or Maltese ray, is a species of fish in the family Rajidae. It is a rare endemic species from the Mediterranean Sea found in the coastal waters of Algeria, Italy, Malta, Tunisia, Greece and Turkey. Its natural habitat is open seas. It is threatened by habitat loss.
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.
The bottlenose skate, spearnose skate, or white skate is a species of skate in the family Rajidae. It is a benthic fish native to the coastal eastern Atlantic Ocean. Due to overfishing, it has been depleted or extirpated in many parts of its former range in the northeastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean Sea, and is now endangered.
The undulate ray is a species of ray and cartilaginous fish found in the Mediterranean and East Atlantic from southern Ireland and England to the Gulf of Guinea. It is found in areas with mud or sand, and may occur as deep as 200 m (660 ft), though it prefers shallower depths. It is considered endangered due to overfishing.
The shagreen ray, also known as shagreen skate or fuller's ray, is a species of skate in the family Rajidae. This ray is found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean, from Murmansk, Russia through Norway, southern Iceland, the Faroe Islands, the Celtic Sea, the northern North Sea and Skagerrak, to western Morocco and the Madeira archipelago, but not in the shallow waters off England and Wales. It is also recorded sporadically in the Mediterranean Sea.
The round fantail stingray or round stingray, is a poorly known species of stingray in the family Dasyatidae. It inhabits sandy, muddy, or rocky coastal habitats in the eastern Atlantic Ocean and the southern Mediterranean Sea. This dark-colored ray typically reaches a width of 1 m (3.3 ft), and can be identified by its nearly circular pectoral fin disk, short tail, and mostly bare skin. The round fantail stingray hunts for fishes and crustaceans on the sea floor, and exhibits an aplacental viviparous mode of reproduction. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) does not yet have sufficient information to assess the conservation status of this species.
The rough ray is a Mediterranean ray species of the Rajidae family described by Delaroche in 1809.
The blonde ray or blonde skate is a species of ray fish in the family Rajidae.
The spotted ray or spotted skate is a species of skate in the family Rajidae.
Sciadonus galatheae is a species of fish in the family Aphyonidae.
Cataetyx laticeps is a species of fish in the family Bythitidae.
Paracetonurus flagellicauda is a species of fish in the subfamily Macrourinae. Some sources place it in the genus Pseudonezumia.
Merret's snailfish, also called the snakehead snailfish, is a species of fish in the family Liparidae.
Bigelow's ray, also called the chocolate skate or Bigelow's skate, is a species of skate in the family Rajidae. It is named in honour of the oceanographer Henry Bryant Bigelow.
The deepwater ray, also called the deepwater skate or abyssal skate, is a species of skate in the family Rajidae.
Rajella fyllae is a species of skate in the family Rajidae.
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