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🌊 Marine Vulnerable 🌡️ Temperate

Sandy ray

Leucoraja circularis Couch, 1838
Max Length
120 cm
Max Weight
-
Lifespan
-
Trophic Level
3.5
Depth
10–800 m
Climate
Temperate
Resilience
Low
Vulnerability
67.00/100
Typical Length
70 cm
Depth Zone
demersal

📖 Overview

Found in offshore shelf waters and on upper slope, mainly around the 100 m line . Depth range from 70-275 m , and from 463-676 m in eastern Ionian Sea . Feed on all kinds of bottom animals . Oviparous. Distinct pairing with embrace. Young may tend to follow large objects, such as their mother . Eggs are oblong capsules with stiff pointed horns at the corners deposited in sandy or muddy flats . Egg capsules are 8.3-9.2 cm long and 4.6-5.3 cm wide . Maximum length for female is 117 cm .

Scientific Name
Leucoraja circularis
Authority
Couch, 1838
Habitat
Marine
Climate
Temperate
Body Shape
Other
IUCN Status
VU
Max Length
120 cm
Depth Range
10–800 m
Trophic Level
3.5
Resilience
Low
Vulnerability
67.00/100
Salinity
30–40 ppt

🔬 Taxonomy

🐟 Physical Description

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Anal spines: 0. Snout short, its tip somewhat pronounced; upper surface entirely spinulose, about 8 thorns generally in a complete row around inner margin of eye and a triangle of thorns on nape or shoulder region; underside with prickles only on snout, between gill-slits, along abdomen, and at anterior margins of disc; tail only slightly longer than body; upper surface reddish-brown to dark brown with 4-6 creamy spots on each wing, underside white .: other; Cross section: flattened.

🌀 Behaviour

Behavioural data for Sandy ray is currently being reviewed.

🦐 Diet

aquatic invertebrates
small fish
algae
detritus

🥚 Reproduction

🐣 Oviparous

Oviparous, paired eggs are laid. Embryos feed solely on yolk . With no definite egg laying period . Distinct pairing with embrace. Young may tend to follow large objects, such as their mother .

🌍 Habitat & Distribution

Marine; demersal; depth range 10 - 800 m . Temperate; 67°N - 27°N, 25°W - 37°E south to Mauritania and Senegal could not be verified due to lacking descriptions and specimens; most are probably misidentifications of Leucoraja leucosticta.

🌿 Ecology

Zone Preferences
🌊 Marine ⬇️ Benthic
Trophic Level
3.5±0.37
Food Items

all kinds of bottom animals (Ref

📐 Morphometrics

Length–Weight Relationship: W = 0.00275 × L3.2 (TL)
Max TL
120cm

🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance

Salinity Range
30–40ppt

🛡️ Conservation Assessment

IUCN Category
Vulnerable
Assessment Date
2024

📊 Population Risk & Fisheries

Population Resilience
Low
Minimum doubling time
Fishing Vulnerability
67.00/100
High vulnerability
Trophic Level
3.5
Predator
Body Shape
Other
Climate Zone
Temperate
Described By
Couch, 1838

🌐 Names & Taxonomy

Language Common Names
🇬🇧English Sandy Skate · Sandy ray · cuckoo ray
🌍BRE rea florien
🌍CES rejnok kruhový
🌍CYM Morgathod Crwn · morgath gron
🇩🇰Danish Sandrokke
🇩🇪German Sand-Rochen · Sandroche · Sandrochen
🌍ELL Στρογγυλόβατος
🇫🇮Finnish Hietarausku
🇫🇷French Raie circulaire · Raie ronde · Raie ronde circulaire · raie de sable
🌍ISL Sandskata
🇮🇹Italian Razza rotonda
🌍LIT apvalioji raja
🇳🇱Dutch zandrog
🌍NNO sandskate
🌍NOB sandskate
🇳🇴Norwegian Sandrokke · Sandskate
🇵🇱Polish Raja piaskowa
🇵🇹Portuguese Raia-de-São-Pedro
🇷🇺Russian круглый скат
🇪🇸Spanish Raya circular · Raya falsa vela · raya falsa-vela
🌍SQI Raje e rrumbullaket
🌍SRP Raza smedjana
🇸🇪Swedish Sandrocka
🌍TUR Vatoz · kum vatozu balığı
🌍UKR Скат піщаний

Scientific Synonyms

Scientific Name Author Year Status
Raia circularis Couch 1838 Synonym
Raja circularis Couch 1838 Synonym
Raja falsavela Bonaparte 1839 Synonym
Raja falsavela intermedia Döderlein 1884 Synonym
Raja falsavela maggiore Döderlein 1884 Synonym

🗺️ Global Occurrence Map

Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 5 records indexed .

Occurrence density from GBIF View GBIF records ↗

👥 Community & Contribute

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