You can sponsor this page

Dipturus batis (Linnaeus, 1758)

Blue skate
Add your observation in Fish Watcher
Native range | All suitable habitat | Point map | Year 2050
This map was computer-generated and has not yet been reviewed.
Dipturus batis   AquaMaps   Data sources: GBIF OBIS
Upload your photos and videos
Pictures | Stamps, coins, misc. | Google image
Image of Dipturus batis (Blue skate)
Dipturus batis
Male picture by Cambraia Duarte, P.M.N. (c)ImagDOP


Greece country information

Common names: Grizovatos, Sélahi-vathí, Γκριζόβατος
Occurrence: native
Salinity: marine
Abundance: | Ref:
Importance: | Ref:
Aquaculture: | Ref:
Regulations: | Ref:
Uses: no uses
Comments:
National Checklist:
Country Information: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/resources/the-world-factbook/geos/gr.html
National Fisheries Authority:
Occurrences: Occurrences Point map
Main Ref: Stehmann, M. and D.L. Bürkel, 1984
National Database:

Common names from other countries

Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa

Elasmobranchii (sharks and rays) > Rajiformes (Skates and rays) > Rajidae (Skates)
Etymology: Dipturus: Greek, di = two + Greek, pteryx = fin (Ref. 45335).
  More on author: Linnaeus.

Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecology

Marine; demersal; depth range 100 - 1000 m (Ref. 4426), usually 30 - 600 m (Ref. 127222).   Temperate; 70°N - 48°N, 30°W - 20°E (Ref. 127222)

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri

Northeastern Atlantic: Iceland to the British isles; it was formerly more widespread, including the Mediterranean Sea and North Africa, but the range is thought to be reduced due to fishing.

Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: Lm 160.0  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 285 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 35388); common length : 100.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 3261); max. published weight: 113.0 kg (Ref. 114424); max. reported age: 51 years (Ref. 4483)

Short description Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Anal spines: 0. This species is characterized by the following: snout broadly angular, length 5-6.3 times orbit length; disc broadly rhombic, anterior margin deeply concave; a row of 12-31 predorsal thorns in median row along tail (disc smooth in young; denticles confined to dorsal head and along anterior disc margin on both surfaces in adults; disc thorns small in young, largely absent in adults); lateral thorns on tail perpendicular to body axis; interspace between dorsal fins 1.2 ± 0.4 TL, the fins rounded, upright, near tail tip; upper surface olive-grey or brown with a variable pattern of light blotches, with yellowish ring-like markings; underside greyish; iris yellowish (Ref. 114953, 127223).

Biology     Glossary (e.g. epibenthic)

Benthic species in shelf and slope waters, mainly within the 200 m range along the continental shelf, but down to 600 m along continental slopes and seamounts (Ref. 127222). Feeds on all kinds of bottom invertebrates and fish, including other skates (Ref. 114953). Oviparous, with long embryonic development. Males reach maturity at ca. 115 cm TL, females at 123 cm TL; birth size at ca. 21 cm TL (Ref. 114953). Biology may be unclear due to past taxonomic confusion Distinct pairing with embrace. Young may tend to follow large objects, such as their mother (Ref. 205). Mate in spring and the egg capsules are laid during the summer. Eggs are oblong capsules with stiff pointed horns at the corners deposited in sandy or muddy flats (Ref. 205). Egg capsules are 10.6-24.5 cm long and 5.0-14.5 cm wide (Ref. 41250). About 40 eggs per individual are laid annually (Ref. 41250). Flesh is marketed fresh or smoked (Ref. 35388).

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturities | Reproduction | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | Larvae

Oviparous, paired eggs are laid. Embryos feed solely on yolk (Ref. 50449). Egg-cases laid in spring and summer, very large (Ref. 3167). Distinct pairing with embrace. Young may tend to follow large objects, such as their mother (Ref. 205). Eggs have horn-like projections on the shell (Ref. 205).

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator : McEachran, John | Collaborators

McEachran, J.D. and K.A. Dunn, 1998. Phylogenetic analysis of skates, a morphologically conservative clade of elasmobranchs (Chondrichthyes: Rajidae). Copeia 1998(2):271-290. (Ref. 27314)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)

  Critically Endangered (CR) (A2bcd); Date assessed: 02 April 2021

CITES (Ref. 128078)

Not Evaluated

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

  Harmless




Human uses

Fisheries: minor commercial; gamefish: yes
FAO(Fisheries: production; publication : search) | FishSource | Sea Around Us

More information

Trophic ecology
Food items
Diet compositions
Food consumptions
Food rations
Predators
Ecology
Ecology
Home ranges
Population dynamics
Growths
Max. ages / sizes
Length-weight rel.
Length-length rel.
Length-frequencies
Mass conversions
Recruitments
Abundances
Life cycle
Reproduction
Maturities
Fecundities
Spawnings
Spawning aggregations
Egg(s)
Egg developments
Larvae
Larval dynamics
Distribution
Countries
FAO areas
Ecosystems
Occurrences
Introductions
BRUVS - Videos
Anatomy
Gill areas
Brains
Otoliths
Physiology
Body compositions
Nutrients
Oxygen consumptions
Swimming type
Swimming speeds
Visual pigment(s)
Fish sounds
Diseases / Parasites
Toxicities (LC50s)
Genetics
Genetics
Electrophoreses
Heritabilities
Human related
Aquaculture systems
Aquaculture profiles
Strains
Ciguatera cases
Stamps, coins, misc.
Outreach
Collaborators
References
References

Tools

Special reports

Download XML

Internet sources

Estimates based on models

Preferred temperature (Ref. 115969): 7.1 - 15, mean 9.8 (based on 243 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82804):  PD50 = 0.5000   [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00324 (0.00195 - 0.00536), b=3.20 (3.06 - 3.34), in cm Total Length, based on LWR estimates for this species & Genus-body shape (Ref. 93245).
Trophic level (Ref. 69278):  3.5   ±0.6 se; based on diet studies.
Resilience (Ref. 120179):  Very Low, minimum population doubling time more than 14 years (K=0.06; tm=11; tmax=51; fec = 40).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref. 59153):  Very high vulnerability (86 of 100).
Climate Vulnerability (Ref. 125649):  Moderate vulnerability (42 of 100).
Price category (Ref. 80766):   Medium.