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Broad skate facts for kids

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Broad skate
Amblyraja badia.jpg
A broad skate on the Davidson Seamount, at a depth of 1641 meters.
Conservation status
Scientific classification
Synonyms
  • Raja badia Garman, 1899

The broad skate (Amblyraja badia) is a type of skate, which is a fish related to sharks. It belongs to the Rajidae family. This skate lives deep in the ocean, usually between 846 to 2,324 metres (2,776 to 7,625 ft) (about 2,775 to 7,625 feet) below the surface. Scientists have even seen it as deep as 3,167 metres (10,390 ft) (over 10,000 feet) using special underwater robots! This makes it one of the deepest-living skates known.

You can find broad skates in different parts of the Pacific Ocean. They live from the Gulf of Panama up to British Columbia and the Bering Sea. They are also found near Japan, off the Tohoku Slope and the Okhotsk Slope. The name badia comes from a Latin word meaning "brown," which describes its color.

What Does the Broad Skate Look Like?

The broad skate has a flat, diamond-shaped body that is wider than it is long. Its front fins, called pectoral fins, are rounded at the ends. Its snout (nose area) is short and blunt, with a few small, sharp bumps on the tip.

The top of its body is covered in tiny, rough prickles, while its underside is smooth. It has two or three pairs of special thorns on each shoulder, often shaped like a triangle. A line of 24 to 29 larger thorns runs down the middle of its back. Smaller thorns are found along its tail.

Tail and Fins

The broad skate's tail is fairly short and gets thinner towards the end. It has two fins on its back, called dorsal fins, which are about the same size. There are no thorns between these back fins. Its very small caudal fin (tail fin) is located right behind the second dorsal fin.

Colors and Markings

Broad skates are usually chocolate-brown to gray-brown on top. They often have scattered darker spots. Their underside is mostly the same color, but the lower fins (called pelvic fins) and tail are darker. You might see whitish areas on its snout, upper belly, nostrils, mouth, gill slits, and anal opening.

What Do Broad Skates Eat?

Broad skates are carnivores, meaning they eat other animals. Their diet includes cephalopods (like squid and octopuses), crustaceans (like crabs and shrimp), and small bony fishes such as rattails. They use their flat bodies to hide on the ocean floor and ambush their prey.

Broad Skate Life Cycle

Like other skate species, broad skates are thought to be oviparous. This means they lay eggs, rather than giving birth to live young. The eggs are usually laid in tough, protective cases, sometimes called "mermaid's purses."

Young broad skates that are able to swim on their own have been measured at about 23 cm (9.1 in) (9 inches) long. Male skates grow to at least 95 cm (37 in) (about 3 feet) long and become mature when they are between 86 to 93 cm (34 to 37 in) (about 2.8 to 3 feet) long. Female skates grow to at least 99 cm (39 in) (about 3.2 feet) long.

Broad Skates and Humans

Broad skates are not usually caught for food or commercial purposes. However, they are sometimes accidentally caught by fishing boats that use deepwater trawl nets or traps. This is known as bycatch.

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