Flapper skate
| Flapper skate | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Chondrichthyes |
| Subclass: | Elasmobranchii |
| Order: | Rajiformes |
| Family: | Rajidae |
| Genus: | Dipturus |
| Species: | D. intermedius |
| Binomial name | |
| Dipturus intermedius (Parnell, 1837) | |
| Synonyms | |
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The flapper skate (Dipturus intermedius) is a species of cartilaginous fish, a ray, belonging to the family Rajidae, the skates. It was formerly considered to be conspecific with the blue skate (D. batis), the combined taxon being known as the common skate. The flapper skate is found in the Eastern Atlantic Ocean, although its range has contracted to a considerable extent due to overfishing, and it is classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as Critically Endangered. It is the largest species of skate in the World.