Starry skate

D-Sternrochen; GB-Starry ray, thorny ray; DK-Tærbe; PL-Płaszczka gwiaździsta; EST-Täht-sünkrai; RU-Zvezdchatiy skat; FIN-Kynsirausku; S-Klorocka

Characters

1) snout not pointed (front margin of body forms one line from the tips of the wings to the snout).
2) one row of very big thorns on the body and tail.
●) upper surface brown to darkbrown and without pattern.
Often up to 60 cm, max. up to 100 cm length.

Similar species

Thornback ray - upper side with colour pattern; bars on tail.

Common skate - snout pointed; only a single row of thorns limited to tail.

Shagreen ray - one row of thorns on neck and two parallel rows of thorns on tail; upper side greyish.

Biology

Benthic on soft and rocky grounds, often between 50 and 100 m, max. up to 1000 m depth; oviparous.

Diet

Predominantly feeds on crustaceans and smaller fish.

Importance

Food fish, but barely of commercial importance.

Endangerment

Declining stocks mainly due to by-catch.