Arctic skate facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Arctic skate |
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The Arctic skate (Amblyraja hyperborea) is a fascinating type of fish. It belongs to the skate family. This amazing creature lives deep in the ocean.
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Where it Lives
The Arctic skate makes its home on the seabed, which is the bottom of the sea. It lives in very deep waters, from about 140 meters (460 feet) down to 2,500 meters (8,200 feet). You can find Arctic skates in the chilly Arctic Ocean. They also live in waters near Canada and northern Europe. Some are found in the northern Pacific Ocean. Others swim in the waters around Antarctica and New Zealand.
What it Looks Like
The Arctic skate can grow to be about 1 meter (3 feet) long. Its back is gray-brown and has large dark spots. The underside of its body is white with dark patterns. It has a line of thorns running down its back. These thorns go almost to the end of its tail.
How it Reproduces
The Arctic skate is an oviparous animal. This means it lays eggs. Its eggs are inside special capsules. These capsules are hard and have horns on each corner.
What it Eats
This skate is a bottom-feeder. It eats all sorts of small animals that live on the seafloor. This helps keep the ocean environment healthy.
Discovery
This species was first described by a scientist named Robert Collett. He discovered it in 1879. He gave it the scientific name Raja hyperborea at that time.
Protecting the Arctic Skate
The Arctic skate is doing quite well in the wild. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species says it is of "least concern." This means it is not currently in danger of disappearing.
In New Zealand, the Department of Conservation also agrees. They have classified the Arctic skate as "Not Threatened." This is good news for this unique deep-sea fish!
See also
In Spanish: Amblyraja hyperborea para niños
