Raja microocellata

Montagu, 1818


Small-eyed ray
Classification: Elasmobranchii Rajiformes Rajidae

Reference of the original description
Montagu, G. (1818)
An account of several new and rare species of fishes, taken on the south coast of Devonshire, with some remarks on some others of more common occurrence. Memoirs of the Wernerian Natural History Society, Edinburgh, 2, 413–463

Synonyms / new combinations and misspellings
Raia microcellata, Raia microocellata, Raja microcelata, Raja microcellata, Raja microocelata, Raja (Raja) microocellata

Types
Raja microocellata
XXXX: No types known;


Description :


Citation: Raja microocellata Montagu, 1818: In: Database of modern sharks, rays and chimaeras, www.shark-references.com, World Wide Web electronic publication, Version 10/2025

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Raja microocellata Montagu, 1818, © FAO, www.fish-base.org
Common names
deu \(T\) Hellfleckiger Rochen, deu \(T\) Kleinäugiger Rochen, spa Raia colorada, spa Raya, spa Raya colorada, spa Raya de ojos, fra \(T\) Raie mêlée, eng Owl ray, eng Painted ray, eng Painted skate, eng Small-eyed ray, eng Smalleyed ray, eng Smalleyed skate, ita Razza, por Arrai, por Paia-zimbreira, por Raia, por Raia-zimbreira

Short Description
Eyes conspicuously small; dorsal fins close-set, no thorns between; upper surface predominantly spinulose, underside almost smooth in young, but head and centre of disc prickly in larger specimens; orbital thorns separate, a regular row of about 50 thorns from nape to first dorsal fin; upper surface greyish, olive to light brown with light blotches and long bands, underside white [7182].

Distribution
Eastern Atlantic: southwestern England and Ireland to Rio de Oro in Western Sahara; absent from the North Sea and the Mediterranean. Source: www.gbif.org

Human uses
fisheries: minor commercial; gamefish: yes; price category: medium; price reliability: questionable: based on ex-vessel price for species in this genus

Biology
Oviparous [7182]. Paired eggs are laid. Embryos feed solely on yolk [733]. Distinct pairing with embrace. Young may tend to follow large objects, such as their mother [17086].

Size / Weight / Age
80.0 cm TL (male/unsexed; (Ref. 41333)); 86 cm TL (female); max. published weight: 4,500 g (Ref. 4699)

Habitat
demersal; marine; depth range ? - 100 m [7180]

Remarks
shark-references Species-ID=5701;

Parasites (arranged by Jürgen Pollerspöck)

Conoidasida
  • Haemogregarina delagei Laveran & Mesnil, 1901 [21437]

Monogenea
Cestoda
  • Acanthobothrium sp. [9086]
  • Acanthobothrium tripartitum Wiliams, 1969 [16448] [28741]
  • Acanthobothrium uncinatum (Rudolphi, 1819) [9086]
  • Crossobothrium sp. [9086]
  • Echeneibothrium sp. [9086] [33185]
  • Echinobothrium brachysoma Pintner, 1889 [9086]
  • Grillotia erinaceus (Van Beneden, 1858) [16112]
  • Grillotia sp. [9086]
  • Nybelinia lingualis (Cuvier, 1817) [9086]
  • Onchobothrium pseudouncinatum De Beauchamp, 1905 [16408]
  • Onchobothrium sp. [33185]
  • Phyllobothrium lactuca Van Beneden, 1850 [9086]

Nematoda
  • Anisakis simplex (Rudolphi, 1809) [9086] [33185]
  • Histodytes microocellatus Aragort, Alvarez, Iglesias, Leiro & Sanmartín, 2002 [10848] [9086]
  • Hysterothylacium sp. [9086]
  • Metanisakis baylisi (Gibson, 1973) [9086]
  • Phocanema sp. [33185]
  • Piscicapillaria (Piscicapillaria) freemani (Moravec, Margolis & Mcdonald, 1981) [9086]
  • Proleptus sp. [9086] [33185]

Copepoda
  • Trebius caudatus Krøyer, 1838 [23942]