what is skate fish

Skate fish is a type of cartilaginous fish that belongs to the family Rajidae in the superorder Batoidea of rays). There are more than 150 species of skates that have been described, in 17 genera). Skates have a flat body shape with flat pectoral fins that extend the length of their body, and a large portion of their dorsal body is covered by rough skin made of placoid scales). Their mouths are located on the underside of the body, and they have a jaw suspension common to Batoids known as euhyostyly). Skates are bottom-dwelling fish related to the shark family and have cartilage instead of bones. They are shaped like a kite and have a texture like crabmeat and taste like a succulent white fish with a nutty flavor. Skates feed on mollusks, crustaceans, and fishes, trapping active prey by dropping down on it from above. Skates have long generation times and low reproductive rates, which make them vulnerable to sudden population declines.