Longnosed Skate (Dipturus oxyrinchus)
Key Findings
These distinctive creatures are easy to spot, sporting a long thin snout and white spots on their backs (Fig. 2). They are not overly common in Scotland but can be found around most of the coastline (Fig. 1) (IUCN, 2015). They tend to live at depths of ~200m, but can be found much deeper, living on the continental shelf and slope (Shark Trust, 2020).
They don’t tend to be targeted by fisheries but may be retained when caught and used for meat (Shark Trust, 2020). They are at risk of various types of trawling bycatch, resulting in their classification as 'Near Threatened' across the world (IUCN, 2015).

Figure 1: (IUCN, 2015) Longnosed Skate Range

Figure 2: (Kruit, 2024) Longnosed Skate
Notes
None
Linked Information Sheets
Key sources of Information
Reviewed on/by
12/08/2024 by Cathryn Lovie
20/08/2024 by Ian Hay
26/08/2024 by Lauren Smith
12/03/2025 by Charlotte Tomlinson
Status
Live. Next update due 22/11/25
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Contact us
Telephone: 07971149117
E-mail: ian.hay@stateofthecoast.scot