Species: Pseudoraja fischeri, Fanfin Skate, Fischer's False Skate

Pseudoraja fischeri Bigelow & Schroeder, 1954

Fanfin Skate, Fischer's False Skate

Disc heart-shaped, 1.2X wider than long, its front edge slightly undulating, rear edges convex; snout short (before eyes 8-9% of TL), rounded, with a narrow conical process at tip; nasal curtain with separate oronasal pits just behind nostrils; pectoral fins extend nearly to snout tip; pelvic fins consist of a single large lobe, greatly expanded laterally, wing-like, with rounded tips, its rear edge perpendicular to body axis; tail moderately slender, 61-62% TL, with a fold on each side of rear 1/3; no dorsal fins; tail fin with well developed top and bottom lobes separated by a small notch at tail tip; upper surface (except pelvics and rear edges of pectorals) including tops of eyes and tail ~uniformly & densely covered with denticles; thorns: moderate sized, around inner edges of eyes (6), 3 on nape and 2 on each shoulder, and, after a short gap, 32 (1st 5 small, then 17-18 large) along midline from nape along front ¾ of tail, with 3-4 rows of small thorns on each side of central row on disc and tail; lower surface smooth, except tail behind rear corners of pelvic fins with dense denticles.

Upper surface light gray at front, darker behind, with pale spots scattered over inner parts of disc and front half of tail; 2 vague cross-bars on tail behind tips of pelvics; pores on top of front of disc and near eyes black; lower surface pale grey, with dark marks on belly.

Reaches 58 cm

Lives on soft bottoms.

Depth range 412-576 m.

South Florida to the southern Caribbean.