ray
Dipturus trachyderma
Large skate of sand and mud bottoms, from Chile to southern Brazil. It is caught more in nets and trawls than on the line, and it is threatened worldwide.
Also called: raia-de-ventre-áspero, raya vientre áspera
- maximum
- 264 cm
- depth
- 93–450 m
who is the ray
The rough-belly skate belongs to the family Rajidae, the flattened-body, thin-tailed skates. It reaches 264 cm. It lives on sand and mud bottoms of the outer shelf and slope, between 93 and 450 m deep, and also appears at 20 m. It feeds mainly on bony fish and crustaceans. It is oviparous: the female lays capsules with horn-like extensions, 20 to 30 cm long, and embryos develop only with the yolk. It matures at around 13 years. In the region, it is caught mostly 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 ray; in the meantime, see the similar species.
fun facts
- The egg cases are 20 to 30 cm long.
- Matures at around 13 years.
identification
Flattened skate with a wide disc, thin tail and pectoral fins attached to the head, like other skates of the family. The egg cases have horn-like extensions. To separate it from the yellownose skate, Zearaja chilensis, which also lives off the Chilean coast, look for the red or purple ocellus in the center of each pectoral, which the yellownose skate has.
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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 from Chile to southern Brazil, through Argentina and Uruguay, on sand and mud bottoms.
Habitat: Sand and mud bottoms of the outer shelf and slope, 93 to 450 m deep.
coast
rules for the ray
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
Conservation: Not on the Brazilian national list (Ministerial Ordinance GM/MMA No. 1.667/2026).
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.
Large skate, threatened worldwide. Hold it by the sides of the disc, avoid 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 = 0.0024, b = 3.18; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa da própria espécie)). 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: Dipturus trachyderma (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Dipturus trachydermaNames by country and language.
- official Portaria GM/MMA nº 1.667, de 27 de abril de 2026: Lista Nacional Oficial de Espécies da Fauna Ameaçadas de Extinção (peixes e invertebrados aquáticos)The species is not on the list. Checked in the DOU of April 28, 2026.
