Biology of Skates

• Preface: Biology of skates.- Biodiversity and systematics of skates (Chondrichthyes: Rajiformes: Rajoidei).- Southern African skate biodiversity and distribution.- Food habits of the sandpaper skate, Bathyraja kincaidii (Garman, 1908) off central California: seasonal variation in diet linked to oceanographic conditions.- Food habits of the longnose skate, Raja rhina (Jordan and Gilbert, 1880), in central California waters.- Dietary comparisons of six skate species (Rajidae) in south-eastern Australian waters.- Comparative feeding ecology of four sympatric skate species off central California, USA.- Standardized diet compositions and trophic levels of skates (Chondrichthyes: Rajiformes: Rajoidei).- Normal embryonic development in the clearnose skate, Raja eglanteria, with experimental observations on artificial insemination.- Endocrinological investigation into the reproductive cycles of two sympatric skate species, Malacoraja senta and Amblyraja radiata, in the western Gulf of Maine.- Morphological variation in the electric organ of the little skate (Leucoraja erinacea) and its possible role in communication during courtship.- Reproductive biology of Rioraja agassizi from the coastal southwestern Atlantic ecosystem between northern Uruguay (34°S) and northern Argentina (42°S).- Profiling plasma steroid hormones: a non-lethal approach for the study of skate reproductive biology and its potential use in conservation management.- Age and growth estimates for the smooth skate, Malacoraja senta, in the Gulf of Maine.- Age, growth, maturity, and mortality of the Alaska skate, Bathyraja parmifera, in the eastern Bering Sea.- Age and growth of the roughtail skate Bathyraja trachura (Gilbert 1892) from the eastern North Pacific.- Age and growth of big skate (Raja binoculata)and longnose skate (R. rhina) in the Gulf of Alaska.

From the reviews: "Ebert & Sulikowski have crafted an essential ichthyological reference and certainly set the stage for future studies into skates, which hopefully will be prompted by studying this volume. I enjoyed both reading this book and gaining deeper insights into the biology of skates. ... This is the most up to date collection of works on skates ... . a standard reference work for those interested in the biology of sharks, rays and skates in general and should be accessible in all life science libraries." (Jurgen Kriwet, Zoosystematics and Evolution, Vol. 86 (2), 2010)