Ray and Skate

ray and skate a pair of names which can be used almost interchangeably for fish of the family Rajidae. No biological basis exists for using one name in preference to the other for any particular species; nor do dictionaries provide clear guidance. On the whole, however, the following practices are observed.

• The smaller species in the family Rajidae are rays and the larger ones skates, at least in reference books and for ichthyologists.

• In Britain, however, all of these fish are called skate when they are on the fishmonger’s slab.

• Species of related but less important families, such as Myliobatidae and Dasyatidae, are always rays; thus ‘eagle ray’, ‘devil ray’, etc.