Image of Big skate

Description:

• Animals Kingdom Animalia • Chordates Phylum Chordata • Sharks and Rays Class Elasmobranchii • Rays Order Rajiformes • River Stingrays Family Potamotrygonidae • Genus Raja • raya gigante Raja binoculata Globally near threatened (NT) The big skate is found in the northeastern Pacific Ocean, from the eastern Bering Sea and the Aleutian Islands, as far south as central Baja California. It occurs in coastal bays, estuaries, and over the continental shelf, usually on sandy or muddy bottoms, but occasionally on low strands of kelp. It is usually is found no deeper than 120 m (390 ft). It frequents progressively shallower water in the northern parts of its range. This species is abundant off British Columbia, where it prefers a depth of 26–33 meters (85–108 ft) and a temperature of 7.6–9.4 °C (46–49 °F). Filmed during a night lighting science activity with the San Juan Nature Institute to study plankton and University of Washington Friday Harbor Labs.