Common names
Pygmy thornback skate, Thornback skate

Short Description
Original diagnosis of LAST & GLEDHILL, 2008 [3312]: A very small Dipturus-like skate (to about 33 cm TL) with the following combination of characters: disc subcircular, width 64–71% TL, 1.1–1.2 times its length; snout angle 100–114°; tail short, length 0.8–0.9 in distance from snout tip to rear of cloaca; tail broad, width 2.0–2.8 times height at its midlength, 2.0– 2.6 times at first dorsal-fin origin; pre-upper jaw length 11–13% TL, 1.2–1.3 times internasal width; ventral head length 27–31% TL; snout length 2.1–2.6 times interorbital width; orbit diameter 54–77% interorbital width; first dorsal-fin height 1.8–2.4 in its base length; distance from first dorsal-fin origin to tail tip 2.1–2.6 times first dorsal-fin base length, more than 8 times caudal-fin length (base of epichordal lobe of caudal fin very short); pelvic fins large, length of posterior lobe of adult males 25% TL, length of anterior lobe 60–69% of posterior lobe; adult clasper relatively large, about 26% TL, connected to pelvic-fin inner margin at about 41– 47% of its length from cloaca; anterior margin of disc with denticle band on dorsal surface, naked ventrally; 0–5 nuchal thorns, mostly present; malar thorn patch present, usually small; tail usually with 3 thorn rows; total pectoral radials mainly 70–74; trunk centra mainly 26–29; predorsal centra mainly 62–67; total centra about 94–109; tooth rows in upper jaw mostly 34–41; uniform yellowish brown dorsally or spotted; ventral surface uniformly pale yellow or white with a blackish snout tip; ventral sensory pores not black edged or surrounded by dusky blotches.

Distribution
Eastern Indian Ocean: southern Australia.

Size / Weight / Age
31.6 cm TL (male/unsexed; (Ref. 75646)); 32.6 cm TL (female)

Habitat
benthopelagic; marine; depth range 27 - 54 m (Ref. 75646)

Remarks
shark-references Species-ID=1965;