Butterfly skate

📖 Overview

Butterfly skate (Bathyraja mariposa), first described by Stevenson, Orr, Hoff & McEachran, 2004 is a large fish in the family Arhynchobatidae (order Rajiformes). Adults typically reach 76.00 cm in maximum length. It inhabits marine coastal and open-ocean environments. Recorded depth range: 90 to 448 metres. It occurs in Temperate waters. It feeds on a mix of small fish and invertebrates as a mid-level predator. On the IUCN Red List, it is classified as Data Deficient.

🔬 Taxonomy

🐟 Physical Description

This species is a medium-sized skate (maximum 76 cm TL) with a broad disc (width 60.9, 69.2% TL), long snout (12.0-14.3% TL), and moderately long tail (50.7-55.0% TL). It is distinguished by the following characters: claspers are slender, without pseudosiphon, projection extending distally well beyond dorsal lobe, dorsal terminal 1 and ventral terminal cartilages are reduced; teeth on upper jaw 21-31 rows; pectoral radials 76-80; pelvic fins I, 21-24; precaudal vertebrae 31-34, predorsal caudal vertebrae 65-72; dorsal surface of disc with uniformly dense covering of fine denticles, except near the margins; thorns absent from disc, tail thorns weak or obsolete; dorsal surface greenish brown with small dark brown or black blotches and irregular light brown to yellow blotches on disc and tail, large yellowish blotch present on posteromedial surface of each pectoral fin .: other.

🌀 Behaviour

Behavioural data for Butterfly skate is currently being reviewed.

🦐 Diet

🥚 Reproduction

🌍 Habitat & Distribution

Marine; benthopelagic; depth range 90 - 448 m . Temperate Northeast Pacific: Aleutian Islands.

🌿 Ecology

📐 Morphometrics

🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance

🛡️ Conservation Assessment

📊 Population Risk & Fisheries

🌐 Names & Taxonomy

🐠 Related Species

🔍 Similar Species

🗺️ Global Occurrence Map

Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 1 records indexed .

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