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der, 1951) has been found in the Gulf of Mexico, at 185 to 258 fathoms. 

 Little is known about it. The largest reported by Bigelow and Schroeder 

 was a male about 15 H inches long, but it was obviously immature, so the 

 potential maximum size of this strange skate is not known. Nor are its 

 habits or full range known. Other, more abundant skates include: 



Brier Skate 

 {Raja eglanteria Bosc, 1802) 

 (Also Known as Clear-Nosed Skate, Summer Skate) 

 This skate, one of the most abundant from New Jersey to Virginia, 

 is frequently caught close to shore, where it is believed to breed. 



The Brier— so called because of a row of thorns that runs down 

 the middle of its back— appears in April between the Chesapeake and the 

 Delaware Bays. It is common around New York and New Jersey from 

 mid-May to October. From July until September, it is usually off southern 

 Massachusetts. In cold weather, it retreats as far south as Florida. 



Its upper side is brown and its lower side white. The longest Brier 

 on record was 37^ inches long. The egg cases are 2 to 3^/4 inches long 

 (not including horns), and l^^^ to ly^ inches wide. 



Brier skate ( Raja eglanteria ) : ( A ) female; ( B ) male. 



Courtesy, The Sears Foundation for Marine Research from 

 Fishes of the Western North Atlantic by Henry B. Bigelow and WiUiam C. Schroeder, 1953 



