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  • disc rhomboidal, corners angular
    snout short, firm
    disc: central row 9-34 very large thorns - nape to D
    disc covered in thorns
    Amblyraja radiata, Starry skate, Thorny skate
    tail short, stout
  • disc heart-shaped, front edge undulating
    snout flexible, short, blunt
    thorns: 3 rows nape to D
    top disc: 4-8 symmetric white spots
    Breviraja claramaculata, Lightspotted shortskate
    pelvic: front lobe 67-76% rear lobe
  • disc heart-shaped, front edge undulating
    snout flexible, short, blunt, pale underneath
    1 central interrupted row thorns: nape to D
    top disc mottled + ocelli
    Breviraja colesi, Lightnose shortskate, Sheathsnout shortskate
    pelvic: front lobe 65-80% rear lobe
  • disc heart-shaped, front edge undulating
    snout flexible, short, blunt, dark underneath
    3 central rows thorns: nape to D
    top disc: uniform to mottled
    Breviraja mouldi, Blacknose shortskate
    pelvic: front lobe 66-85% rear lobe
  • disc heart-shaped, front edge undulating
    snout flexible, short, blunt
    3 central rows thorns: nape to D
    C: with lower lobe
    Breviraja nigriventralis, Blackbelly shortskate
    under disc dark
    lower jaws with central spatula
    pelvic: front lobe 65-80% rear lobe
  • disc heart-shaped, front edge undulating
    snout flexible, short, blunt
    3 central rows thorns, nape to D
    C without lower lobe
    Breviraja spinosa, Spiny shortskate
    under disc dark
    lower jaws: no central spatula
    pelvic: front lobe 66-77% rear lobe
  • disc circular
    snout very blunt
    side corner of disc with arm
    Dactylobatus armatus, Armed finger-skate
    under front edge of disc: band of claws
    top disc + blotches
  • disc circular
    snout very blunt
    side edge of disc rounded
    Dactylobatus clarkii, Clark's finger-skate
    under front edge of disc: band of claws
    top disc: elongate ocelli
  • disc center: only thorns - 1 pr nape
    top uniform; bottom darker
    inconspicuous pores under snout
    tail thorns: 1 row 12-15 + 1 between Ds
    Dipturus bullisi, Bullis' skate
  • thorns disc center: shoulders + 1 row ~36 nape to D
    top uniform color
    pores under snout black
    Dipturus garricki, San Blas skate
  • center disc no thorns
    top + dark spots
    distance between Ds ~ base D1
    top brown + dark spots; bottom grey/black
    pores under snout dark
    tail: side thorns not hooked
    tail thorns: 3 rows, center - 13-26 + 3-6 between Ds
    Dipturus olseni, Spreadfin skate, Olsen’s spreadskate, Olsen’s wingedskate
  • disc center no thorns
    top uniform color
    distance between Ds < base D1
    top disc uniform; pale below
    pores under snout black
    tail: side thorns compressed, hooked
    tail thorns: 3 rows, center - 31-48 + 1 between Ds
    Dipturus oregoni, Hooktail skate, Oregon's wingedskate
  • disc center no thorns
    Ds & C black
    top uniform; bottom cream/dusky
    pores under snout dark
    tail 1 row thorns
    Dipturus teevani, Prickly brown ray, Caribbean skate
  • top pale brown
    central disc thorns: 1 row at front, gap, 3 rows at rear
    shoulder 3-4 thorns
    Ds & C black
    Ds far apart
    Fenestraja atripinna, Blackfinned windowskate, Blackfin pygmy-skate
    no pits at corners nasal curtain
    under tail + denticles
  • top disc dark blotches, tail dark crossbars
    central disc thorns: small, 1 row 72 to D
    shoulder: 0/2 thorns
    Fenestraja cubensis, Cuban windowskate, Cuban pygmy skate
    no pits at corners nasal curtain
    pelvics: front lobe 70% rear lobe
  • top uniform color
    center disc thorns: 1 row, 4 + space+ ~54 to D
    shoulder 1-2 thorns
    Fenestraja ishiyamai, Ishiyama's windowskate
    no pits at corners nasal curtain
  • top disc dark blotches, tail dark crossbars
    center disc thorns: 1 row 45-70 nape to front 1/2 tail
    shoulder 2-4 thorns
    thorns on center disc & tail large
    Fenestraja plutonia, Underworld pygmy-skate, Underworld window-skate
    no pits at corners nasal curtain
    pelvic: front lobe = rear lobe
  • brown above, yellow below
    central disc thorns: 3-4 rows rear disc to D
    triangle of thorns: nape & shoulders
    Fenestraja sinusmexicanus, Gulf skate, Gulf windowskate
    no pits at corners nasal curtain
    pelvic: front lobe 80-100% rear lobe
  • disc wider than long, angular side tips
    snout short, blunt, tip firm
    under disc with denticles
    top brown, +/- blotches; C black
    tail slender, long, usually no D
    Gurgesiella atlantica, Atlantic abyssalskate, Atlantic pygmy skate
    pelvics = 1 triangular lobe
  • snout tip firm, not long, sides slighty convex
    nape - triangular patches thorns
    top - rosettes of dark spots
    center back - 1-3 rows thorns each side
    tail: cross-bars of spots
    belly pale
    Leucoraja garmani, Freckled skate, Leopard skate, Rosette skate
    tail rows thorns center & sides
  • snout tip firm, not long, sides convex
    nape - triangular patches thorns
    dark & pale spots
    center back - 2-5 rows thorns
    belly pale
    Leucoraja lentiginosa, Freckled skate
    tail rows thorns center & sides
  • disc heart-shaped, front edges undulating
    snout tip firm
    center disc thorns: 1-2 rows shoulder to tail
    thorns: nape 3, 2-3 each shoulder
    tail: multiple rows thorns
    top with dense dark & light spots
    under disc light
    Leucoraja yucatanensis, Yucatan skate, Yucatan whiteskate
  • disc heart-shaped, front edge ~straight
    snout pointed, tip firm
    pectorals end before snout tip
    top disc & tail: dense denticles
    disc thorns: shoulder to D, 1 row of 30-40
    tail ~1/2 TL
    no thorns on rear 1/3 tail
    Malacoraja senta, Smooth skate, Smooth-tail skate
  • disc heart-shaped, front edges undulating
    snout short, round, tip flexible, pectorals almost to tip
    top disc & tail: dense fine denticles
    Neoraja carolinensis, Carolina pygmy-skate, Carolina's novelskate
    nasal curtain with pits in corners
    front pelvic lobe >80% rear lobe
  • disc ~rhomboidal/rounded
    snout short to medium, tip stiff
    eyes + semicircle of thorns
    center disc: row thorns shoulder to C
    nape thorns in triangle
    top disc & tail : denticles coarse, not dense
    top dark/light grey, bottom darker
    tail thorn rows: central & side
    Rajella bigelowi, Bigelow's skate
    tail 60% TL
  • disc heart shaped, round outer corners
    snout short, blunt, rounded, tip stiff
    eyes + semicircle of thorns
    1 row thorns shoulder to tail base
    nape thorns in triangle
    top disc & tail : denticles coarse, not dense
    top dark grey, bottom black
    tail thorn rows: central & side
    Rajella fuliginea, Sooty skate, Sooty smallskate
    tail 56-65% TL
  • disc heart shaped, outer corners rounded
    snout medium length, angular, tip stiff
    eyes + semicircle of thorns
    1 row thorns shoulder to tail
    nape thorns in triangle
    top disc & tail : denticles dense, fine
    top & bottom black
    tail thorn rows: central & side
    Rajella purpuriventralis, Purplebottom smallskate
    tail 53% TL
  • eye length ~1/3 snout length
    disc width <65% TL
    center disc - 1 row of thorns
    shoulder 1+ thorns
    Rostroraja ackleyi, Ocellated skate, Ocellate skate
    snout side - slightly concave
    pectoral base - dark centered ocellus
  • top of disc: no denticles
    center disc behind nape: no thorns
    tail thorns: 1 row 34-37 to D1, 3-5 between Ds
    Rostroraja bahamensis, Bahama skate
    pectoral base - 1-2 dark centered ocelli
  • disc width >70% TL
    front center disc - short row thorns
    Rostroraja cervigoni, Finspot skate
    pectoral base: dark-ringed ocellus
  • top - many irregular dark spots & narrow cross-bar
    nape & shoulder - thorns not in triangular patch
    all center back - 1 row thorns
    Rostroraja eglanteria, Clearnose skate
  • eye length ~20% snout length before eye
    disc width < 65% TL
    all center disc - 1 row of thorns
    shoulder - no thorns
    Rostroraja texana, Roundel skate
    snout side distinctly concave
    pectoral base ocellus- dark center, yellow edge