Raja (fish) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Raja (fish) |
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| Raja brachyura | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Chondrichthyes |
| Order: | Rajiformes |
| Family: | Rajidae |
| Genus: | Raja Linnaeus, 1758 |
| Species | |
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Raja, also known as raia, is a group of skates. These are a type of cartilaginous fish, meaning their skeletons are made of tough, flexible cartilage instead of bone. There are currently 16 different kinds, or species, in the Raja group.
These amazing fish have flat bodies and a diamond-like shape. Their large fins stretch out from near their snouts all the way to their tails. They have sharp snouts and their mouths and gills are found on the underside of their bodies.
Raja skates can be plain or have cool patterns. Most of them have spiny or thorn-like bumps on their top side. Some even have weak electric organs in their tails! They live on the ocean floor and are active both day and night. They love to eat small sea creatures like molluscs, crustaceans, and other fish.
You can find Raja skates in the East Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea, and the western Indian Ocean. They live in waters that can be shallow or as deep as 800 meters (about 2,600 feet). Skates have been around for a very long time, with their oldest relatives dating back to the Upper Cretaceous period, which was about 70 million years ago!
Life Cycle of Raja Skates
When it's time to have babies, Raja skates mate, usually in the spring. The female skate lays many eggs. Each egg is protected inside a tough, leathery case. These cases are often called "mermaid’s purses" because of their unique look.
The size of Raja skates can be quite different. Some are about 40 centimeters (1.3 feet) long, while others can grow up to 140 centimeters (4.6 feet) long.
Meet the Raja Skates
There are 16 different species that belong to the Raja group. Here are some of them:
- Raja asterias Delaroche, 1809 (Mediterranean starry ray)
- Raja brachyura Lafont, 1873 (blonde ray)
- Raja clavata Linnaeus, 1758 (thornback ray)
- Raja eglanteria L. A. G. Bosc, 1800 (clearnose skate)
- Raja herwigi G. Krefft, 1965 (Cape Verde skate)
- Raja maderensis R. T. Lowe, 1838 (Madeiran ray)
- Raja mauritaniensis White & Fricke, 2021 (African ray)
- Raja microocellata Montagu, 1818 (small-eyed ray)
- Raja miraletus Linnaeus, 1758 (brown ray)
- Raja montagui Fowler, 1910 (spotted ray)
- Raja ocellifera Regan, 1906
- Raja parva Last & Séret, 2016 (African brown skate)
- Raja pita Fricke & Al-Hassan, 1995 (pita ray)
- Raja polystigma Regan, 1923 (speckled ray)
- Raja radula Delaroche, 1809 (rough ray)
- Raja straeleni Poll, 1951 (spotted skate)
- Raja undulata Lacépède, 1802 (undulate ray)
See also
- List of prehistoric cartilaginous fish
