Description: A pale yellow to light brown skate with numerous black spots that extend right to the edge of the wings. They also have scattered rings of spots and several circular light patches with no spots. They have a short snout and pointed wings, and can reach up to 1 m. This species does not have eye-spot markings.

Habitat: Sand or mud from around 60 m to 120 m. Younger animals can be found in more shallow water (around 20 m +), and this species may move inshore at night to feed. Sandbanks with good water movement.

Distribution: Found all around Britain and Ireland, but there are few records from Scotland and none from NE Scotland.

Similar Species: Could be confused with Raja montagui, although in R. montagui the spotting doesn’t extend to edge of wings, although this may only be a narrow band free from spots.

Key Identification Features:

• Black spotting extends to right to the edge of wings.
• No eye-spot markings.
• Scattered rings of spots, and circular light patches free of spots.

Distribution Map from NBN: Raja brachyura at National Biodiversity Network mapping facility, data for UK.

iNaturalist: Raja brachyura at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.

GBIF data for Raja brachyura

WoRMS: Raja brachyura at World Register of Marine Species. Accepted name: Raja brachyura Lafont, 1871. AphiaID: 367297.

Classification: Biota; Animalia; Chordata; Vertebrata; Gnathostomata; Chondrichthyes; Elasmobranchii; Neoselachii; Batoidea; Rajiformes; Rajidae; Raja