Leopard Skate

Large skate with a moderately long snout, small eyes, and a flat disc; tail about as long as body; small inconspicuous, light thorns on upper surface including snout (Ref. 5578). Medium grey to brownish dorsally, often with dark spots; white or mottled with dusky patches ventrally (Ref. 5578).

Oviparous, paired eggs are laid. Embryos feed solely on yolk (Ref. 50449). Distinct pairing with embrace. Young may tend to follow large objects, such as their mother (Ref. 205).

Found in deeper shelf and slope waters (Ref. 4426). Feed on bottom crustaceans, dragonets, rattails, hake, lanternfish, sea pens, cuttlefish and polychaete worms (Ref. 5578). Feeds on nekton and zoobenthos (Ref. 5578).

Found in deeper shelf and slope waters (Ref. 4426). Feed on bottom crustaceans, dragonets, rattails, hake, lanternfish, sea pens, cuttlefish and polychaete worms (Ref. 5578). Oviparous. Distinct pairing with embrace. Young may tend to follow large objects, such as their mother (Ref. 205). Eggs are oblong capsules with stiff pointed horns at the corners deposited in sandy or muddy flats (Ref. 205). Egg capsules are 7.4 cm long and 7.4 cm wide (Ref. 41249). Caught by hake trawlers (Ref. 5578).

fisheries: commercial

The leopard skate (Rajella leopardus) is a species of fish in the family Rajidae. It is found in Namibia and South Africa. Its natural habitat is open seas.