''Gurgesiella atlantica'', commonly known as the Atlantic pygmy skate, Atlantic finless skate, or simply the Atlantic skate, is a

skate Skate or Skates may refer to: Fish *Skate (fish), several genera of fish belonging to the family Rajidae * Pygmy skates, several genera of fish belonging to the family Gurgesiellidae * Smooth skates or leg skates, several genera of fish belongin ...

species in the family

Gurgesiellidae Pygmy skates are cartilaginous fish belonging to the family Gurgesiellidae in the superorder Batoidea of rays Ray may refer to: Fish * Ray (fish), any cartilaginous fish of the superorder Batoidea * Ray (fish fin anatomy), a bony or horny spin ...

. It lives in the western central and southwest Atlantic Ocean, from Nicaragua to Brazil. It grows to – long and is distinguished from other skates by its long, slender tail and absence of dorsal fins.

Description

The Atlantic pygmy skate has a width of and grows to a total length of about – , with the exact length varying slightly between different sources. In comparison to other skates, it is medium in size. The species' upperbody is pale brown in color, sometimes containing spots, and its underside is brownish pink. It has a darker tail, typically a dark shade of brown, and a black caudal fin. The species' tail is extremely long and slender for a skate and is completely absent of dorsal fins; these factors make the species easily distinguishable from other skate species in the area. It has a large number of denticles on its dorsal disc, completely covering it. Male specimens have thorns on their anterior disk as adults and females have them in the middle of their tail and disc. In addition, males adults have

claspers In biology, a clasper is a male anatomical structure found in some groups of animals, used in mating. Male cartilaginous fish have claspers formed from the posterior portion of their pelvic fin which serve to channel semen into the female's ...

, which are thin and long. It has a number of other notable characteristics as well, including a long caudal fin, long pelvic fines, large eyes, a short snout, and an arched mouth.

Behavior and habitat

The Atlantic pygmy skate exhibits

oviparity Oviparous animals are animals that lay their eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive method of most fish, amphibians, most reptiles, and all pterosaurs, dinosaurs (including birds), and m ...

, laying its eggs in pairs. Young obtain their nutrients through yolk as embryos. The shells on the species' eggs contain projections in the shape of horns. It is a

demersal fish Demersal fish, also known as groundfish, live and feed on or near the bottom of seas or lakes (the demersal zone).Walrond Carl . "Coastal fish - Fish of the open sea floor"Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Updated 2 March 2009 They occ ...

, living at the bottom of the sea floor. According to the

International Union for Conservation of Nature The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN; officially International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natu ...

(IUCN) it is found in waters – in depth, although

FishBase FishBase is a global species database of fish species (specifically finfish). It is the largest and most extensively accessed online database on adult finfish on the web.

states that it has a much more restricted range of – .

Distribution

The Atlantic pygmy skate lives in the Atlantic Ocean, with its distribution ranging as far north as Nicaragua and as far south as northern Brazil. In total, it covers the countries of Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Panama, and Venezuela. The species is

bathydemersal Demersal fish, also known as groundfish, live and feed on or near the bottom of seas or lakes (the demersal zone).Walrond Carl . "Coastal fish - Fish of the open sea floor"Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Updated 2 March 2009 They occ ...

and lives on the continental slope. Little is known about the species' population and threats; therefore, no conservation actions are currently taking place for the species. It is listed as least concern by

IUCN The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN; officially International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natu ...

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q5032091 Rajiformes Fish of the Atlantic Ocean Taxa named by Henry Bryant Bigelow Taxa named by William Charles Schroeder Fish described in 1962