Australian Ocellate Skate, Dentiraja oculus (Last 2008)


Other Names: Ocellate Skate

Dipturus oculus. Source: CSIRO National Fish Collection. License: CC BY Attribution

Summary:
A brownish or greyish skate with a large dark ocellus on each pectoral fin, a greyish or brown underside becoming paler at the disc margin, and greyish or black sensory pores on the underside without surrounding dusky blotches.

Cite this page as:
Bray, D.J. 2023, Dentiraja oculus in Fishes of Australia, accessed 18 Apr 2024, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/2654

Australian Ocellate Skate, Dentiraja oculus (Last 2008)

More Info


Distribution

South Western Australia, from off Bunbury to off Shark Bay. Mostly found near the continental shelf break and on the upper continental slope.

Features

Trunk centra 27–31; predorsal centra 69–85; total centra about 113–127.
Disc narrow with rounded apices, width 71–74% TL, about 1.2 times its length; snout angle 90–96°; tail short, length 0.7–0.8 in distance from snout tip to rear of cloaca; tail relatively broad, width 1.7–2.3 times height at its midlength, 1.9–2.2 times at first dorsal-fin origin; preupper jaw length 17–19% TL, 1.7–2.1 times internasal width; ventral head length 32–34% TL; snout length 3.4–3.6 times interorbital width; orbit diameter 68–82% interorbital width.
First dorsal-fin height 1.6–1.8 in its base length; distance from first dorsal-fin origin to tail tip 2.4–3.1 times first dorsal-fin base length, 1.8–2.5 times caudal-fin length; pelvic fins of medium size, length of posterior lobe of adolescent males about 17% TL, length of anterior lobe 69–75% of posterior lobe; clasper of late adolescent male short, about 15% TL.
Anterior margins of both surfaces of head with narrow bands of denticles; a single nuchal thorn; malar thorn patch probably present in adult males (early stages of development in midadolescent male); tail thorn in single staggered row in males, two additional pairs of lateral rows in females; total pectoral radials 80–89; tooth rows in upper jaw 34–40.

Etymology

The specific name is from the Latin oculus (= eye), in reference to the eye-like marking on each pectoral fin.

Species Citation

Dipturus oculus Last 2008 in Last, White, Pogonoski & Gledhill (eds), CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research Paper No. 021: 90. Type locality: West of Bunbury, Western Australia, 33°22'S, 114°31'E, depth 203-204 m.

Author

Bray, D.J. 2023

Resources

Atlas of Living Australia

Australian Ocellate Skate, Dentiraja oculus (Last 2008)

References


James, K.C., Kyne, P.M. & Ebert, D.A. 2015. Dipturus oculus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2015: e.T195451A68621509. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T195451A68621509.en. Accessed on 27 September 2023.

Last, P.R. 2008. New short-snout members of the skate genus Dipturus (Rajoidei: Rajidae) from Australian seas. pp. 9-52 in Last, P.R., White, W.T., Pogonoski, J.J. & Gledhill, D.C. (eds). Description of new Australian skates (Batoidea: Rajoidei). CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research Paper No. 021: 1-181 http://hdl.handle.net/102.100.100/118405?index=1

Last, P.R., Séret, B., Stehmann, M.F.W. & Weigmann, S. 2016. 19. Skates. Family Rajidae. pp. 204-363 in Last, P.R., White, W.T., Carvalho, M.R. de, Séret, B., Stehmann, M.F.W. & Naylor, G.J.P. (eds). Rays of the World. Clayton South, Victoria : CSIRO Publishing 790 pp. (as Dentiraja oculata)

Last, P.R. & Stevens, J.D. 1994. Sharks and Rays of Australia. Canberra : CSIRO Australia 513 pp. 84 pls. (as Raja sp. E)

Last, P.R. & Stevens, J.D. 2009. Sharks and Rays of Australia. Collingwood : CSIRO Publishing Australia 2, 550 pp. (as Dipturus oculatus)

Last, P.R., Weigmann, S. & Yang, L. 2016. Changes to the nomenclature of the skates (Chondrichthyes: Rajiformes). Rays of the World: Supplementary Information. CSIRO Special Publication. pp. 11-34 (as Dentiraja oculata)

Quick Facts


CAAB Code:37031031

Conservation:IUCN Least Concern

Depth:200-390 m

Max Size:56 cm TL

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CAAB distribution map