Big Skate
Beringraja binoculata
Melbourne Skate
Spiniraja whitleyi
About
The Melbourne skate is the largest skate found in southern Australian waters, a broad, flat-bodied ray that rests on the seabed with a short, thorny tail trailing behind it. It grows to about 200 cm.
Also known as: rough skate, wedgenose skate, great skate, wedge-nosed skate, whitleys skate, whitley's skate
- Length
- 2 m
- Depth
- up to 170 m
How to tell it apart
It can be confused with other large skates in its range, but its rounded, knob-like snout tip and the row of thorns along its neck and shoulders are useful marks to check when the size and shape look right.
Appearance
This skate has a four-sided disc, broader than it is long, with a moderately long snout that is rounded and knob-like at the tip. Its tail is short, flat, and broad, with prominent skin folds along the sides. It is greyish or greyish brown on top with scattered white flecks, and cream or white underneath. A row of small thorns runs along the back of the neck and shoulders, and more thorns run along its tail.
Did you know?
At up to 200 cm long, this is the largest skate found in southern Australian waters. Its eggs are laid in tough cases about 22 cm long that carry horn-like projections at the corners.
Log it in Into the Blue
Describe what you saw and we name it, then keep every species you find in your Oceandex.
