CLEARNOSE SKATE ((Skate) Raja eglanteria)
◎Broad diamond-shaped body with a pronounced pointed snout which is almost translucent; long tail features numerous spines (none barbed) running along the back and down the tail; coloration is brown or grayish brown along the back with numerous darker spots and some light spots; belly is white.
◎Size: up to 10 pounds; average size ranges from 2 ~ 5 pounds.
COWNOSE RAY ((Bat Ray, Bullfish) Rhinoptera bonasus)
◎Broad, flat body is formed by winglike pectoral fins; long, whiplike tail features a barbed spine at the base of the tail; front of the head has an indentation in the middle giving it a similar appearance to a cow’s nose, which gives rise to its name; coloration is brown or brownish with a mustard yellow tint on the back with a white or off-white belly.
◎Similar Fish: other rays are somewhat similiar but the distinctive shape of the head easily distinguishes the cownose from other rays.
◎Size: up to 70 pounds; average size ranges from 20 ~ 40 pounds.
SMOOTH BUTTERFLY RAY (Gymnura micrura)
◎Boroad, diamond-shaped body, which is much wider than it is long, is formed by winglike pectoral fins and a pointed head; short tail has no spine; coloration is mustard yellow to brownish on the back with an off-white belly.
◎Similar Fish: closely related and similar in appearance to the spiny butterfly ray; distinguishable by lack of barbed spine on tail (spiny butterfly ray has a barbed spine).
◎Size: up to 150 pounds; average size ranges from 25 ~ 70 pounds.
SOUTHERN STINGRAY ((Stingray) Dasyatis americana)
◎Broad, diamond-shaped body is formed by winglike pectoral fins and a pointed head; long, whiplike tail features a barbed spine near the base of the tail; coloration is brown to grayish brown on the back with a white or off-white belly.
◎Similar Fish: closely related and very similar in appearance to the Atlantic stingray; distinguishable by pointed sides or wings (Atlantic stingray has rounded sides or wings) and placement of barbed spine (more forward on southern stingray, closer to the end of the tail on the Atlantic stingray).
◎Size: up to 175 pounds; average size ranges from 30 ~ 75 pounds.