Fish
Thornback Ray
Raja clavata · also called roker
On a sandy estuary floor, a thornback ray lies half buried, only its eyes and the thorny ridge of its tail visible above the seabed.
Overview
The thornback ray, Raja clavata, is a Near Threatened ray of the sandy and muddy sea beds of the north-eastern Atlantic, the North Sea, and the Mediterranean. Its thorny back, mermaid’s purse egg cases, and slow recovery from fishing make it one of the best-known rays of European seas.
A ray with a prickly back
The thornback’s thorns point backward and outward from the disc, making the fish awkward to handle and a poor meal for many predators.
Status
Near Threatened, with numbers reduced in parts of its range.
Thornback Ray: common questions
Why is it called a thornback?
Its back and tail are studded with prickly thorns, with larger spines in rows along the tail.
What is a mermaid's purse?
It is the tough, rectangular egg case of a ray or shark, and the thornback ray's has a horn at each corner.
Is the thornback ray endangered?
It is listed as Near Threatened, because it matures late, has few young, and has been heavily fished in parts of its range.
Where is the thornback ray found?
It lives on sandy and muddy sea beds of the north-eastern Atlantic, the North Sea, and the Mediterranean.