Skates

ocean · cartilaginous fish · sea floor

Cousins of sharks. Skates belong to the same group as sharks and rays, called cartilaginous fish, which means their skeletons are made of flexible cartilage instead of hard bone.

Wing-like fins. Skates have flat bodies with large, wing-shaped fins that they ripple and wave to glide smoothly across the ocean floor like underwater blankets.

Super diverse family. There are more than 150 different species of skates living in oceans around the world, and scientists keep discovering new ones in the deepest parts of the sea.

Bottom dwellers. Most skates spend their lives on or near the seafloor, where they hunt for small fish, crustaceans, and other creatures using special senses in their snouts.

Egg-laying fish. Unlike some fish, skates lay eggs in tough, leathery pouches that protect the babies until they're ready to hatch and swim on their own.