eastern leg skate

Source: Australian National Fish Collection, CSIRO.

The Eastern Leg Skate, Sinobatis filicauda, is endemic to Australia, found in the northeastern part of the country from the Queensland Plateau to the Saumarez Plateau. #Finfact: This species is only known from a few specimens! Because of this, little is known of its biology, ecology, population, etc.

They are a large legskate, measuring at around 55 cm total length (TL) and 37 cm disc width (DW) for males. The name “filicauda” comes from the Latin word “filum” which translates to thread and “cauda” which means tail or appendage. This is a nod to their short, thread-like tail. From the species we have they are a pale pinkish-brown color with a pale translucent underbelly and a pointed snout. And... well, that's all we know! The IUCN has assessed them as Data Deficient (DD).

WHAT DID YOU LEARN ABOUT THIS ANIMAL?

GLOSSARY

• Endemic: Native to a specific region or environment and not occurring naturally anywhere else.
• IUCN: International Union for Conservation of Nature.​

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