Cartilaginous fish · Rajiformes · Rajidae

Thornback Ray

Raja clavata

Near Threatened

It could become endangered in the near future if current threats go unchecked. See full glossary

The thornback ray is a species of fish of the family Rajidae in the order Rajiformes. Males can reach 105 cm in total length and females 120. It feeds on benthic animals, preferably crustaceans. Among its predators is Chelidonichthys gurnardus.

Weight

2 kg – 18 kg

Size

60 cm – 1.4 m

Lifespan

15 years

Diet

Carnivore

Feeds mainly on other animals.

Activity

Nocturnal

Active mainly at night.

Social structure

Solitary

Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.

Sighting difficulty

Moderate

OceanCarnivore Nocturnal Solitary Near Threatened Fish Ocean

49countries 46parks 83dive sites1same family

Fun facts

Its egg capsules, rectangular and with four horns, are the commonest mermaid's purses on European beaches, and there are citizen science schemes in several countries that ask beachgoers to collect and photograph them in order to map where the rays breed.
The spines on its back have a broad, rounded base, like the head of a nail, and they are its main distinguishing feature among the European rays.
It detects prey buried in the sand through the ampullae of Lorenzini, gel-filled pores that pick up the electric fields generated by the muscles of any living animal.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - cartilaginous skeleton (fish)
Habitat & environment: Coastal sandy and muddy bottoms of the eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean, down to 300 metres
Sexual maturity: 10 years
Gestation / incubation: 5 months of egg incubation
Litter / clutch size: 142

Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raja_clavata