DiscoverSpeciesSharks and rays
Argus Skate
Dentiraja polyommata
- Usual depth150–275 m
- Water temperature25–27 °C
- Best monthsNovember
- How commonRare
About this species
The argus skate is a species of fish in the family Rajidae. This small, up to 38 cm (1.25 ft) long, skate is endemic to depths of 135–320 m (443–1,050 ft) in the oceans off northeast Australia. It was formerly included in Dipturus or Raja.
Text from the Wikipedia article “Argus skate”, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the article
Where and when
Where it has been recorded
Worldwide
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Best months
Worldwide (open data)
- January: 7 records
- February: 0 records
- March: 4 records
- April: 4 records
- May: 0 records
- June: 6 records
- July: 2 records
- August: 3 records
- September: 9 records
- October: 1 records
- November: 19 records
- December: 0 records
Depth and water temperature
Depth
Mostly recorded at 150–275 m · Deepest record: 316.5 m
Water temperature
Recorded in surface water of 25–27 °C
Names and classification
- English
- Argus Skate
Other scientific names: Dipturus polyommata, Pavoraja polyommata, Raja polyommata
Similar species
Longnose SkateDentiraja confusa
- Common Skate
Dentiraja australis
Hind SkateDentiraja cerva
Australian Thornback SkateDentiraja lemprieri
- Eye Skate
Dentiraja falloargus
- Pygmy Thornback Skate
Dentiraja flindersi
Sources and credits
Names and taxonomy: WoRMS (CC BY 4.0) and the GBIF Backbone (CC BY 4.0). Photos: iNaturalist observers, each under the licence shown (CC0, CC BY or CC BY-SA).
- Depth, temperature, months and maps: records from OBIS and GBIF under CC0 or CC BY.
- Descriptions: Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA, each linked to its article.
- Conservation status as published by GBIF (IUCN Red List).
- 98 open-data records from 1910 to 2012.
- Species data updated November 2, 2026.
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