Species: Dipturus bullisi, Bullis' Skate, Lozenge Skate

Dipturus bullisi (Bigelow & Schroeder, 1962)

Lozenge Skate, Bullis' Skate

Disc rhomboidal, with sinuous front margins, 1.34X wider than long, rear edges gently convex; snout moderately elongate (length before eye 19-20% of TL), its tip firm, with a stout cartilage; pectoral fin rays separate from 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 connected by membrane, rear one large; 2 small dorsal fins at rear of tail, similar in size & shape, rounded tips, close together (1/2 length of 1st dorsal base apart); tail narrow, 46-50% TL, with a pair of lateral skin folds low down, along entire length; tail fin as an upper fold confluent with and behind the second dorsal, its base = base of 2nd dorsal; top of disc free of denticles; ventral side with denticles at end of snout and in a narrow band along inner 60% of front edge of disc; 3 widely spaced thorns around eyes (2 at front, 1 at rear), 1 thorn on nape, none others on center of disc; tail with 1 central row of 12-15 large thorns, 1 thorn between dorsal fins.

Upper surface uniform light brown; lower surface of disc, pelvics and tail dark brown; mucous pores on underside of snout & behind mouth darkly pigmented, inconspicuous.

Reaches 77 cm

Depth range 183-724 m

Lives on soft bottoms

Gulf of Mexico to French Guiana.