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Skate (fish)
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=== General Batoidea characteristics === Skates are cartilaginous fishes like other [[Chondrichthyes]], however, skates, like rays and other [[Rajiformes]], have a flat body shape with flat [[pectoral fins]] that extend the length of their body.<ref name=":02">{{cite web|url=https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/fish/discover/rays-skates/anatomy/|title=Ray & Skate Anatomy :: Florida Museum of Natural History|website=www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu|date=5 May 2017|language=en|access-date=2018-03-10}}</ref> This structure creates power for forward propulsion, providing the emergence swimming capabilities that enabled skates to colonize the sea floor.<ref name='nature2023'/> A large portion of the skate's dorsal body is covered by rough skin made of [[placoid scales]]. Placoid scales have a pointed tip that is oriented caudally and are homologous to teeth. Their mouths are located on the underside of the body, with a jaw suspension common to Batoids known as euhyostyly.<ref name=":8">{{Cite book|last1=Berkovitz|first1=Barry|last2=Shellis|first2=Peter|pages=5β27|doi=10.1016/b978-0-12-802850-6.00002-3|title = The Teeth of Non-Mammalian Vertebrates|year = 2017|isbn = 9780128028506}}</ref> Skate's [[gill slit]]s are located ventrally as well, but dorsal [[Spiracle (vertebrates)|spiracles]] allow the skate to be partially buried in floor sediment and still complete respiratory exchange.<ref name=":5">{{cite journal |author1=Carlos Bustamente |author2=Julio Lamilla |author3=Francisco Concha |author4=David A. Ebert |author5=Michael B. Bennett |author-link2=Julio Lamilla |title=Morphological Characters of the Thickbody Skate Amblyraja frerichsi (Krefft 1968) (Rajiformes: Rajidae), with Notes on Its Biology |journal=[[PLOS One]] |date=29 June 2012 |volume=7 |issue=8 |pages=e39963 |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0039963 |pmid=22768186 |pmc=3386969 |bibcode=2012PLoSO...739963B |doi-access=free }}</ref> Also located on the dorsal side of the skate are their two eyes which allow for predator awareness.<ref name=":02" /> In addition to their pectoral fins, skates have a first and second [[dorsal fin]], [[Fish fin|caudal fin]] and paired [[pelvic fin]]s. Distinct from their rhomboidal shape is a long fleshy slender tail. While skate anatomy is similar to other Batoidea, features such as their [[Electric organ (biology)|electric organ]] and [[mermaid's purse]] create clear distinctions. [[File:Mermaidpurse.jpg|thumb|Full view of a skate's mermaid's purse. Roughly 125 mm in length.]]
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