Thornback ray (Raja clavata) Image credit: Andy Murch Key Features
Characterized by the many thorns often present on their dorsal side, thornback rays have “30-50 thorns along the midline” (Shark Trust, 2009) which continues along the tail. The number of thorns vary between individuals and can be present on both the dorsal and ventral sides (SSACN, 2015), with buckler thorns (Shark Trust, 2009) often being found on mature fish. This species varies in coloration from dark br