About the Species

Little skate are cartilaginous fish with a kite-like body.  They prefer sandy and gravelly areas in the northwestern Atlantic from Nova Scotia to North Carolina.  They have a downward-facing mouth on the underside of the body which is used to prize prey from the substrate.  The diet consists mostly of small crustaceans and worms, but may occasionally include small benthic fishes, sea squirts, and squid.  They are preyed upon by seals (in winter), and larger fish, including summer flounder and larger skates.  

 

Mating occurs year-round, but eggs are most commonly found from October to December and from April to May; least commonly from late summer and early spring. Little skates are more active at night and often spend the day buried in the sediment, although they may be more active in daytime during their reproductive season.  They do not undertake long migrations, but individuals typically move into shallower water during the summer, and deeper water during the fall and winter. Some may also move slightly north or south with changing seasonal temperatures. Little Skates can tolerate a wide temperature range (up to 21˚C/70˚F), but only a narrow salinity range (27-33 ppt).

 

Little skates are managed as part of the Northeast Skate Complex through NOAA.  For more information on this fishery, see:

here. This fish is also an important organism involved in medical and biological research, as shown here.