yellownose skate
Zearaja chilensis
Skate of sand and mud bottoms, from the coast of Chile to the Strait of Magellan, with a red or purple spot on each pectoral fin.
Also called: raia-de-nariz-amarelo, raya hocicuda, raya volantin, yellownose skate
- maximum
- 152 cm
who is the yellownose skate
The yellownose skate belongs to the family Rajidae and reaches 152 cm. It is a skate of cold and temperate waters, living on sand and mud bottoms from Chile to the Strait of Magellan, usually at depths down to 40 m. It matures at 94 to 100 cm. It lays eggs in capsules with horn-like extensions, and incubation lasts 252 days. Hatchlings emerge at 17.2 cm. It is caught by bottom commercial fishing.
Essential profile. Identification, where it occurs and rules, with data from FishBase and the cited regulations. Season, time of day, technique and bait are added once we have a good source for the yellownose skate; in the meantime, see the similar species.
fun facts
- Incubation lasts 252 days inside the capsule.
- Hatchlings emerge at 17.2 cm.
identification
Medium-sized skate, with a brown to greyish back and small pale spots scattered over it. Each pectoral fin has a red or purple ocellus in the center, with a sharp outline, which is the main mark of the species. The underside is white to grey, with lighter spots near the gill openings and under the mouth. The tail is longer in males. To separate it from the rough-belly skate, which also occurs off the Chilean coast, check the smaller size and the ocellus on the pectorals.
Loading the next 7 days…
Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
Essential profile: the index uses a general fish model (weather, sun, moon and tide), without a season or time of day specific to this species.
where found
Lives off the coast of Chile, from the center of the country to the Strait of Magellan, on sand and mud bottoms.
Habitat: Sand and mud bottoms, in cold and temperate waters, usually down to 40 m deep.
rules for the yellownose skate
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.
catch and release
catch and release Releasing the fish alive, quickly and with a wet hand. During a closed season it isn't always allowed: what the regulation says applies.
Skate with no danger to whoever handles it, but threatened worldwide. Hold it by the disc, without pulling by the tail, and release it right away, with minimal handling.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00309, b = 3.24; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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sources and references
Essential profile: size, length-weight, depth, countries and conservation come from FishBase and the cited regulations, and the texts were written from those sources. Season, time of day, sensitivities, technique and baits and lures are not included yet, because we did not find a good source for this species.
- scientific FishBase: Zearaja chilensis (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Zearaja chilensisNames by country and language.
