Dactylobatus clarkii

The hook skate or Clark's fingerskate (Dactylobatus clarkii) is a medium-sized (75 cm in length), but poorly known, deepwater skate."[1] Its distribution is considered patchy and covers the western central and southwest Atlantic, including the east coast of Florida, throughout the Gulf of Mexico (Guatemala, Lesser Antilles, Colombia, Venezuela, and Suriname), and off Rio Grande do Sul (southern Brazil).[1]

Dactylobatus clarkii

Data Deficient  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Chondrichthyes
Order: Rajiformes
Family: Rajidae
Genus: Dactylobatus
Species:
D. clarkii
Binomial name
Dactylobatus clarkii
(Bigelow & Schroeder, 1958)
Synonyms
  • Raja Clarki Bigelow & Schroeder, 1958[2]
  • Raja Clarkii Bigelow & Schroeder, 1958[2]

Description

A 1967 survey of specimens included 14 males ranging from 228–668 mm (8.98–26.3 in), and eight females from 176–747 mm (6.93–29.4 in).[3] It has been found on muddy bottoms of the continental slope at depths of 315–915 metres (1,030–3,000 ft).[1]

Bigelow and Schroeder describe the species as "characterized among western Atlantic rajids by the presence of a band of formidable and very sharp thorns extending along the margin of the lower surface from the tip of the snout almost to the outer corners of the disc."[3] The number of thorns in the median row varied from 30 to 43, without apparent relation to the size or age of the skate, while a triangular patch of thorns in the nuchal–scapular area ranged from one to five.[3]

The upper surface is brown, with darker punctulations scattered across the disc, pelvic fins, and tail, and some specimens have conspicuous white spots, which if present, are located in the same parts of the disc.[3]

Their eggs have horn-like projections on the shell.[4]

Diet

Stomach contents include one specimen of Mullus argentinae, remains of a teleost fish, and a predominance of Myctophidae fishes.[4]

Conservation status

The International Union for Conservation of Nature assessed the species' status as data deficient, "due to the limited knowledge of its biology and extent of capture in fisheries".[1]

Media attention

A misidentified 427-cm-long hook skate was widely reported to be caught and released on November 23, 2013, near Miami Beach,[5] but was later identified by George H. Burgess of the Florida Museum of Natural History as a roughtail stingray (Dasyatis centroura).[5]

gollark: If I put together a nuclear bomb, that's still problematic even if I don't detonate it.
gollark: You are still obtaining it and putting it together. You *could* disclose it. We don't know you *aren't*.
gollark: [BEE POLL] Authorize bee strike on <@341618941317349376>?
gollark: If I used my 1337 h4xx0r sk1llz to delete your computer, even if I was doing stuff anyone else with 1337 h4xx0r sk1llz could, that doesn't make it okay.
gollark: I think the expectation is that you should not randomly go around violating privacy, and that you are bees if you do.

References
  1. J. M. Brash & J. D. McEachran (2009). "Dactylobatus clarkii". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN. 2009: e.T161331A5399839. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2009-2.RLTS.T161331A5399839.en. Retrieved 14 January 2018.
  2. "Itis Standard Report Page: Dactylobatus clarkii". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 13 December 2013.
  3. Bigelow, Henry B.; Schroeder, William C. (5 April 1968). "Additional Notes on Batoid Fishes from the Western Atlantic". Breviora. Cambridge: Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University (281): 8–9. ISSN 0006-9698. Retrieved 13 December 2013.
  4. "Dactylobatus clarkii, Hookskate". Fishbase. Retrieved 13 December 2013.
  5. Thomas, Pete (25 November 2013). "Enormous rare sea creature hauled from depths by Florida shark fisherman". GrindTV. Archived from the original on 29 November 2013. Retrieved 13 December 2013.
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