A truly unique member of the elasmo family, a ratfish can be a beautifully grotesque encounter. These diminutive creatures are a grey-brown colouration and covered in white spots with a silver underside. Their large, bulky snouts resemble a donkey of sorts, with small mouths and forward-directed teeth, and a long tapering tail. Ratfish swim by flapping their large forward fins.
Spotted Ratfish - Hydrolagus colliei
Pacific Northwest Skates (Family Rajidae)
The family of skates, scientifically termed Rajidae contains about three hundred species. These thin, broad creatures most often dwell in the coastal regions of the continental shelves in cool northern or temperate seas. These unique creatures cruise just off the bottom while gracefully sweeping their immense pectoral fins, or "wings." They may bury themselves in the sand or gravel to conceal their bodies from both predator and prey. As an underwater photographer, having both a keen eye, and by diving in areas with sandy flat bottoms may reveal an encounter with a skate.
Big Skate - Raja binoculata
Big Skates are the largest member of the Rajidae growing up to 2.5 m. (8 ft.) and weighing up to 90 kg. (200 ib.). They have an extensive range of habitat as they can be found anywhere between Northern Alaska and California. Big Skates are commonly spotted in shallow water during the summer months, and vanish into deeper waters for the rest of the year. These skates are heavily camouflaged and can be very difficult to spot on sandy flat sub-straits in which they commonly inhabit.
Big Skate - Raja bioculata
Starry Skate - Raja stellulata
Starry Skates are known as the spiniest of the Northern Pacific skates, as it is covered with prickly spines and abrasive dermal denticles. Its dorsal surface has rows of thorns along its mid-back, groups of orbital thorns, up to six large thorns on its shoulder girdle, and a cluster of thorns along the edge of the pectoral fins or “wings”. The number of these thorns increases with the size, and therefore the age, of the individual skate. In contrast, the belly is smooth and whitish, but with dark margins. The nose is very short, and two eye spots are often visible above the pectoral wings. Its dorsal surface is brown to gray brown, providing effective camouflage on the seafloor with these colors fading upon death. Once commonly referred to as the Rock Skate, this species is known to live and hunt on rocky habitats most commonly along the California coast, however they are being increasingly spotted in the waters around British Columbia.
Starry Skate - Raja stellulata
Other Sharks and skates of the Pacific Northwest
Bluntnose Sevengill Shark - Notorynchus cepedianus
Basking Shark - Cetorhinus maximus
Brown Cat Shark - Apristurus brunneus
Pacific Sleeper Shark - Somniosus pacificus
Salmon Shark - Lamna ditropis
Soupfin Shark - Galeorhinus galeus
Blue Shark - Prionace glauca
Thintail Thresher Shark - Alopias vulpinus
Short Fin Mako Shark - Isurus oxyrinchus
Tope Shark - Galeorhinus galeus
Longnose Skate - Raja rhina
Sandpaper Skate - Bathyraja interrupta
