DiscoverSpeciesSharks and rays
Blackspot Skate
Dipturus campbelli
- Usual depth137–403 m
- Water temperature23–26 °C
- Best monthsMay and June
- How commonRare
About this species
The blackspot skate is a species of fish in the family Rajidae. It is found off the south-eastern coast of Africa from Durban, South Africa to central Mozambique. Its natural habitat is open seas. It has a triangular snout, tail stout that is moderately smaller than its body, and small thorns on the nape and back. On the upper side of the fish it is medium grey or a brownish color with black spots and the underside has noticeably black spores.
Text from the Wikipedia article “Blackspot skate”, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the article
Where and when
Where it has been recorded
Worldwide
Loading the map
Best months
Worldwide (open data)
- January: 0 records
- February: 0 records
- March: 0 records
- April: 0 records
- May: 2 records
- June: 2 records
- July: 0 records
- August: 1 records
- September: 0 records
- October: 0 records
- November: 0 records
- December: 0 records
Depth and water temperature
Depth
Mostly recorded at 137–403 m · Deepest record: 403 m
Water temperature
Recorded in surface water of 23–26 °C
Names and classification
- English
- Blackspot Skate
Other scientific names: Raja campbelli
Similar species
Grey SkateDipturus canutus
New Zealand Smooth SkateDipturus innominatus
- Bight Skate
Dipturus gudgeri
Brown Bight SkateDipturus acrobelus
Pale Tropical SkateDipturus apricus
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).
- 14 open-data records from 1988 to 2009.
- Species data updated November 2, 2026.
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