Dipturus melanospilus

Last, White & Pogonoski, 2008


Blacktip skate
Classification: Elasmobranchii Rajiformes Rajidae

Reference of the original description
Last, P.R. & White, W.T. & Pogonoski, J.J. (2008)
New skates of the genus Dipturus (Rajoidei: Rajidae) from Australian Seas. CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research Paper, 21, 9–52

Image of the original description

Dipturus melanospilus sp. nov, adult male holotype (CSIRO H 715–05, 669 mm TL, fresh): A, dorsal surface; B, ventral surface. In: Last, P.R. & White, W.T. & Pogonoski, J.J. 2008 New skates of the genus Dipturus (Rajoidei: Rajidae) from Australian Seas. CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research Paper, 21: 9-52



Description :


Citation: Dipturus melanospilus Last, White & Pogonoski, 2008: In: Database of modern sharks, rays and chimaeras, www.shark-references.com, World Wide Web electronic publication, Version 04/2024

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Dorsal surface of Dipturus melanospilus sp. nov. primary female paratype (CSIRO H 948–03, 530 mm TL, fresh);In: Last, P.R. & White, W.T. & Pogonoski, J.J. 2008 New skates of the genus Dipturus (Rajoidei: Rajidae) from Australian Seas. CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research Paper, 21: 9-52
Common names
eng Blacktip skate

Short Description
Original Diagnose of LAST, WHITE & POGONOSKI, 2008 [3309]: A medium-sized species of Dipturus (to 78 cm TL) with the following combination of characters: disc very broad with angular apices, width 71–80% TL, 1.3–1.4 times its length; snout angle 72–82°; tail length 0.8–0.9 in distance from snout tip to rear of cloaca; tail slender, somewhat rounded in cross section, width 1.3–1.7 times height at its midlength, 1.4–1.9 times at first dorsal-fin origin; pre-upper jaw length 17–23% TL, 2.3–2.8 times internasal width; ventral head length 32– 36% TL; snout length 4.2–5.6 times interorbital width; orbit diameter 73–97% interorbital width; first dorsalfin height 1.7–2.3 in its base length; distance from first dorsal-fin origin to tail tip 3.2–3.8 times first dorsal-fin base length, 2.7–3.5 times caudal-fin length; pelvic fins small, length of posterior lobe of adult males 15–16% TL, length of anterior lobe 67–71% of posterior lobe; adult clasper relatively elongate, 23–25% TL, connected to pelvic-fin inner margin at about 40–44% of its length from cloaca; anterior margins of both surfaces of disc with a narrow band of granular denticles (band absent from dorsal surface of large females and juveniles); no nuchal or malar thorns; tail with a single thorn row in both males and females; total pectoral radials 92–98; trunk centra 29–32; predorsal centra 77–86; total centra 136–140; tooth rows in upper jaw 32–37; mainly uniformly greyish brown dorsally; mostly greyish brown (not blotchy) ventrally, gill membranes not paler than adjacent head; anteroventral margin of disc distinctly whitish (on denticle band), outer half black-edged (areas very strongly contrasted in juveniles); ventral sensory pores black-edged, not surrounded by dusky blotches, prominent on snout; epichordal lobe blackish.

Distribution
Western Pacific: Australia. Source: www.gbif.org

Size / Weight / Age
77.7 cm TL (male/unsexed; [3309])

Habitat
demersal; marine; depth range 239 - 695 m [3309]

Remarks
shark-references Species-ID=2016;