Genus: Dipturus, Longnose Skate, Skate, Skates

DIPTURUS

SKATES

Disc rhomboidal, with concave front margins; snout moderately to strongly elongate, 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; tail fin as a fold behind the second dorsal; top of disc largely free of denticles, denticles on rear borders of ventral side; underside of disc usually dark, with mucous pores usually darkly pigmented; 0-3 rows of thorns on center of disc, 1-3 rows along tail, rear 1/3-1/4 of tail with thorns, like those on front of tail.

A temperate to subtropical genus with 41 species, found in the Atlantic, western Indian Ocean and Mediterranean sea, as well as the eastern Pacific; Five endemic species in the Greater Caribbean, two in the East Pacific, one in the tropical part.