Species: Breviraja colesi, Lightnose Skate, Sheathsnout Short Skate

Breviraja colesi Bigelow & Schroder, 1948

Lightnose Skate, Sheathsnout Short Skate

Heart-shaped disc, slightly wider (~1.1X) than long, with front margins undulating, tips of pectorals round; snout flexible, short, blunt, supported to near its tip by a cartilage with a very slender tip; pectoral rays extending nearly to tip of snout; 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; pelvic fin with 2 distinct lobes joined by membrane, rear lobe large, front lobe 65-80% length of rear lobe; upper surface of disc covered with closeset small denticles, except around rear edges; thorns not conspicuously large, with smooth basal cones, a patch on snout, 10-11 along inner half of eyes, a pair on nape, 4-5 on each shoulder, oneinterrupted central row along back 6 behind nape to pectoral base, then 6 more widely spaced to pelvic base, then ~44 close-set and irregularly arranged along tail back to 1st dorsal fin, each side of tail with 2-3 rows of larger thorns that become more crowded towards the rear; underside of disc and tail smooth; tail 1.4X length of disc, width of its base distinctly >eye; tail with 2 dorsal fins, those touching, tail fin with poorly developed upper lobe, no lower lobe; side of tail with a narrow fold from beyond tips of pelvics to tail tip; sex organs of males rod-shaped, tapering to a narrow tip.

Top surface of disc tan, with scattered dark blotches and spots, plus whitish spots ringed with dark brown; lower surface white to yellow.

Reaches 40 cm.

On soft bottoms

Depth range 220-549 m.

SE Florida, the Bahamas, Cuba, Nicaragua