Leucoraja naevus
The cuckoo ray is a member of the genus of the skates (Rajidae) and the order of the skates and rays (Rajaformes).
This ray can be found in coastal waters with a rubble or sandy bottom. It has a greyish-brown back with many yellow spots and two characteristic black spots with a yellow border on each pectoral fin, and a white belly with small black spots. It has round thorns around the eyes and along the ridge of the tail and smaller, round ‘thorns’ all over its body. It feeds on many benthic organisms.
The cuckoo ray is mature at a length of 55 cm. It is oviparous, deposits eggs in sandy or muddy flats: oblong capsules with stiff pointed horns at the corners. Egg capsules are 5.0 – 7 cm long and 3.1 – 3.9 cm wide, females lay about 70-150 eggs every year.
- Maximum length: 72 cm
- Maximum weight: ? kg
- Maximum lifespan: ? years
- Habitat: 20 to 500 m depth
- Catches: This species is taken as bycatch in mixed demersal fisheries through much of its range and utilized in some areas.
- Status: ‘Not threatened’ on the international IUCN Red List (http://www.iucnredlist.org/).
Distribution
Map: Fishbase
Follow us!