Diagnosis The only Alaska species of Range Eastern Bering Sea, eastern Raja with the following combination Aleutian Islands, Gulf of Alaska to Baja of characters: anterior margin of California. disk concave; posterolateral margin of pelvic fin slightly concave; base Depth 16-402 m. of pectoral fin with large ocellus Remarks The big is one of the surrounded by light spots. most abundant skates in the Gulf of Denticles Fine denticles on dorsal Alaska, and the largest skate species in surface, ventral surface smooth. Alaska waters. It has recently attained In Alaska waters, the is found in the at least small-scale commercial Gulf of Alaska and Bering Sea. Coloration Dorsal surface brown to importance. gray-brown, usually with large ocellus surrounded by smaller spots on Similar Species The big skate is most pectoral fin; ventral surface white to likely to be confused with the longnose light gray. skate, which is the only other member of the Raja in Alaska. It can easily Reproduction Oviparous, with up to be distinguished from the longnose seven embryos per case. Egg case skate by the shape of the snout and the large, dome-shaped, with very short shallow notch in the pelvic fins. The big horns, greenish-yellow in color. Egg skate also lacks a small dark ocellus on case maximum size is 300 mm long. the dorsal surface of each pectoral fin and the ventral surface is nearly white. Maximum Size Documented to 204 cm, possibly to 244 cm.

Big Skate Raja binoculata 41