Not just Shark
Pictures: Elasmodiver contains photos of sharks, skates, rays, and
chimaera's from around the world. It began as a simple web based
field guide to help divers find the best places to encounter
different species of sharks and rays but it has slowly evolved into
a much larger project containing information on all aspects of shark
diving and photography. There are now more than a thousand shark
pictures and sections on shark evolution, biology, and
conservation. There is a large library of reviewed shark books, a
constantly outdated shark taxonomy page, a monster list of shark
links, and deeper in the site there are numerous articles and
stories about shark encounters. Elasmodiver is now so difficult to
check for updates, that new information and pictures are listed on
an Elasmodiver Updates Page that can be accessed here:
If you're looking
for a broader range of marine life pictures the following links
represent a new area of elasmodiver.com that contains pictures of
other marine organisms and of marine habitats. This expansion of
Elasmodiver is in its first stages but will eventually include pages
on all types of marine mammals, bony fishes and marine invertebrates
as well as coastal habitats, reefscapes and other imagess relating
to the ocean. Please return regularly to enjoy the progress.
Little Skate, Little Common Skate, Little Summer
Skate.
Latin Name: Leucoraja
erinacea
Other Names:
猬鳐China Mandarin Chinese
蝟鰩China Mandarin Chinese
IgelkottsrockaSwedenSwedish
Kleine rogNetherlandsDutch
Lille rokkeDenmarkDanish
Raia-de-verãoPortugalPortuguese
Raie hérissonFranceFrench
Can QuebecFrench
Raja kanadyjskaPolandPolish
Vatos micRomaniaRumanian
Family: Rajidae
Identification: Rounded
snout with pointed central tip. Mildly concave anterior margins of pectoral fins.
Concavity appears to be more prominent in males. Posterior margins of pectoral fins
rounded. Small
thorns extend down centre line of back and tail and run across the margin of the
snout. Dorsal pattern includes regular sized dark
spots (polka dots) and larger less frequent dark spots. Overall coloration
grey to
brown. Underlying color may be solid or consist of large rounded patches.
No distinct occeli present on pectoral fins
Size: Maximum
length 54cm
Habitat: Found
on sand, gravel and mud bottoms occasionally adjacent to rocky reefs. Intertidal to
329m but mostly above 90m.
Abundance and distribution: North
western Atlantic Ocean from the St Lawrence River in
Canada to North Carolina.
Behavior: Usually
seen lying motionless on sand. Forages for a variety of benthic animals such as
crustaceans.
Reproduction:
Oviparous. 10-35 egg capsules laid annually.
Photographs: Cape Ann Peninsula,
Massachusetts.
Similar species:
Winter Skate (Raja ocellata) identifiable
by the distinct ocelli (circular black and white eye-like markings) on the
pectoral fins.
Reaction to divers: Docile. Remains motionless
on the sand unless
closely approached. A slow swimmer unless threatened. Once alerted to the
presence of divers, the little skate usually swims away slowly but makes the
occasional dash followed by a very quick settling in the seabed. In the process
a lot of sand is disturbed which confuses the pursuer as to the skates
whereabouts. This strategy is similar to the way an octopus releases ink as a
decoy.
Diving logistics:
There is a dive site off of Back Beach in Rockport on the Cape Ann Peninsula,
Massachusetts, where Little Skates can be seen at certain times of year. I have
encountered them there in September but earlier in the summer the same area was
inhabited by Winter Skates. Diving off Back Beach is a simple matter of walking
in off the beach and kicking out while keeping a close eye on the sand.
Occasionally skates rest on top of the kelp in which case they are far easier to
spot.
