Species: Rostroraja eglanteria, Clearnose Skate

Rostroraja eglanteria Bosc in Lacepède, 1800

Clearnose Skate

Rhomboidal disc with front margins straight to convex; snout rigid, moderately long (14-15% of TL); fairly blunt, its sides only slightly concave; front edge of disc slightly convex; pectoral rays not extending along sides of snout to near its tip; eyes on top of head, with spiracles immediately behind; nostrils a little in front of mouth, with front lobes from nostrils forming a curtain between them and mouth; upper jaw 46-54 tooth rows; 2 small dorsal fins near rear of tail, with tail fin as a fold behind the second dorsal; pelvic fin with 2 distinct lobes joined by membrane, front lobe ~1/2 length of rear lobe; tail ~50% of TL, with side folds along almost its entire length; upper surface of disc sparsely covered with denticles; medium sized thorns before and around eyes and between spiracles; 1-5 large thorns on shoulder and nape (but not in a triangular patch); a continuous row of thorns along midline from the nape to the first dorsal fin (at least 15 between base of pelvic and first dorsal fin), each side of tail with an additional row of thorns.

Upper surface with many irregular dark spots and oblique narrow crossbars; area on each side of snout is translucent; pectoral base without ocellus; underside white; mucous pores on underside of disc unpigmented.

Lives on soft bottoms.

Reaches 79 cm.

Depth range: 5-330 m.

Massachusetts to the Gulf of Mexico.