Species: Dipturus teevani, Caribbean Skate, Prickly Brown Skate, Prickly Brown Ray

Dipturus teevani (Bigelow & Schroeder, 1951)

Prickly Brown Skate, Prickly Brown Ray, Caribbean Skate

Disc rhomboidal, with sinuous front margins, ~1.25X wider than long, rear edges gently convex; snout moderately elongate (length before eye 22% of TL), sharply pointed, 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; 2 small dorsal fins at rear of tail, similar in size & shape, rounded tips, joined at bases; tail narrow, 48-53% TL, with a pair of lateral skin folds low down, along entire length; tail fin as a long, low upper fold behind the second dorsal; top of disc free of denticles, except minute denticles between eyes and all over disc before the eyes; ventral side with denticles under snout, and along front edge of disc; upper surface with 1-2 thorns before eye & 1 after, no thorns along center of disc; tail with central row of 15 back-pointing thorns to 1st dorsal fin, 0-2 thorns between dorsal fins.

Upper surface pale brown, dorsal and tail fins black; lower surface creamy to dusky, tail blackish; mucous pores on underside of snout & before mouth dark.

Reaches 84 cm

Depth range 240-940 m

Lives on soft bottoms

The SE USA to Brazil.