Species: Gurgesiella atlantica, Atlantic Skate, Atlantic Abyssal Skate

Gurgesiella atlantica (Bigelow & Schroeder, 1962)

Atlantic Skate, Atlantic Abyssal Skate

Disc much wider (~1.7X) than long, slightly convex from tip of snout to level of spiracles then concave to outer angular corners, rear margins gently rounded; snout short, broadly rounded, with a small pointed, soft and flexible tip, supported by a narrow snout cartilage that is firm along rear 60% and flexible at front; nostrils greatly enlarged; nasal curtain with few or no fringes; teeth with low cusps in females and young males, sharp cusps in mature males; pelvic fins not divided into two parts by a notch, with laterally directed pointed lobes & roughly straight rear margins; tail slender, very elongate, almost 2X disc length to cloaca; dorsal fin usually absent, if present is ~20% of TL in advance of tip of tail, well before tail fin; tail fin with separate, unjoined upper and lower lobes, lower lobe shorter and lower; tail with lateral skin folds from a little behind pelvic tips to a little beyond origin of upper tail fin; upper surface of disc covered with very small denticles with star-shaped bases, more dense between and before eyes that at rear, present on pelvics and tail fin; thorns: several irregular rows of very small, blunt thorns in a narrow central band from nape to base of tail; tail with 2-3 interrupted rows of larger sharp, hooked thorns at front, grading to 1-2 rows at rear: lower surface with denticles on front half of disc and along bottom of tail; male sex organ very long and slender.

Upper surface pale brown, sometimes with obscure dark blotches, tail fin black; lower surface pale brown to pinkish, with 6-10 dark brown blotches or bars on underside of tail.

Reaches 49 cm

Lives on soft bottoms.

Depth range 223-1575 m.

The Gulf of Mexico to the Amazon.