Common Name
San Blas Skate
Year Described
Bigelow & Schroeder, 1958
Identification
Disk spade-shape with a strongly concave anterior margin. Snout long (18% TL). Pectoral fins pointed. Anterior pelvic fin lobe about 58% as long as the posterior lobe. Tail is 45% of TL and has skin folds on both sides. There are two dorsal fins, separated from each other by a distance one third of first dorsal base. The caudal fin consists of a moderately developed lobe. Upper jaw with 35 tooth rows.
Body is smooth above and below, with dermal denticles retricted to snout and anterior disk. There are numerous thorns around the orbit and spiracles, and multiple nuchal thorns on the rear head. One or two scapular thorns. A continuous line of thorns runs from nuchal region to first dorsal fin. Tail thorns contiguous with body thorns. A row of lateral thorns present on tail on each side of main thorn row. Two thorns present between the dorsal fins. Ventral surface without dermal denticles except for around snout and anterior disk margin.
Color
Dorsal surface medium to dark brown, without markings. Ventral surface dusky to bluish gray with darkened ampullar poles or snout.
Size
Maximum size to 107cm TL.
Habitat
Demersal from 275-476m.
Range
Known from the northern Gulf of Mexico and off Nicaragua.
References
Compagno, L.J.V. 2002. Sharks. In: Carpenter, K.E. (Editor) FAO Identification Guide for Fishery Purposes. The Living Marine Resources of The Western Central Atlantic. Volume 1: Introduction, mollusks, crustaceans, hagfishes, sharks, batoid fishes, and chimaeras. ASIH Special Publication No. 5. FAO, Rome.
McEachran, J.D. and J.D. Fechhelm. 1998. Fishes of the Gulf of Mexico. Volume 1: Myxiniformes to Gasterosteiformes. University of Texas Press, Austin. i-viii + 1-1112.
Other Notes
The only Caribbean/Gulf of Mexico Dipturus with a full thorn row from nuchal region to dorsal fin. All others have midline thorn row restricted to tail.