Essential Fish Habitat Source Document: Clearnose Skate, Raja eglanteria, Life History and Habitat Characteristics

摘要

The clearnose skate Raja eglanteria (Bosc 1802), occurs along the eastern United States coast from the Nova Scotian Shelf to northeastern Florida as well as in the northern Gulf of Mexico from northwestern Florida to Texas. It is a southern species that is considered rare in the northern part of its range. McEachran distinguishes clearnose skates from other skates in the Gulf of Maine by a combination of the following characters: snout acute, three rows of equally-sized thorns on dorsal and lateral surfaces of the tail, and the dorsal surface of the disc is marked with a series of dark spots and bars.