# Maugean skate

The Maugean skate or Port Davey skate (Dipturus maugeanus) is an endangered species of fish in the family Rajidae. Also known as the ‘thylacine of the sea’. It is endemic to Tasmania, only found in the brackish estuarine waters of Macquarie Harbour and Bathurst Harbour. The species was discovered in 1988 by Dr Graham Edgar. It was named in honour of René Maugé, a zoologist on the Baudin expedition to Australia, who died in Tasmania in 1802.
The skate is recognised as one of the Gondwana-era natural values of Tasmania’s Wilderness World Heritage Area (TWWHA) . Its potential extinction carries global significance.

## Description

The Maugean skate is a medium-sized skate with a maximum total length of approximately 74 cm in males and 87 cm in females. It has a quadrangular disc-shaped body, a narrowly pointed, elongated snout and dark edged ventral pores. The dorsal surface of the skate is almost uniformly dark grey to brown with small and faint white spots. The tail is moderately broad at the base and tapers towards large dorsal fins. Males have three rows of thorns along the tail, whereas females have five.
The Maugean skate is distinguishable from its closely related Zearaja species by its smaller adult size, longer snout and smoother dorsal surface. The only other skate species known within its distribution is the thornback skate (Dentiraja lemprieri) which can be distinguished by its smaller size, brown to grey-black dorsal surface with fine spots and reticulations, short, rounded snout and long, narrow claspers.

## Distribution and habitat

The Maugean skate is restricted to brackish, estuarine waters in two isolated estuaries on the west coast of Tasmania; Macquarie Harbour and Bathurst Harbour. No individuals have been found in marine waters outside of these harbours. Its preferred habitat is benthic, shallow channels between 5 and 15 metres in depth with poor light penetration, high tannin loads and silty substrate.
There have been only four confirmed observations of the species in Bathurst Harbour, the last in 1992. Multiple surveys between 1992 and 2022 have failed to verify the presence of the species, and recent eDNA samples collected in 2022 have detected minimal amounts of Maugean skate DNA. This suggests it may be either locally extinct, vagrant, or occurring in very small numbers.

## Diet

The Maugean skate holds a high trophic position (3.7) in the food web. Their diet consists of benthic prey species, with crustaceans as their dominant prey type.

## Conservation status

The Maugean skate is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, as well as under the Australian Government Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 on the national level and under the Tasmanian Government Threatened Species Protection Act 1995 on the state level as the synonym Zearaja maugeana.
Research by The Australia Institute indicates that 58 percent of Australians are in favor of stopping farming of salmon in Macquarie Harbour, which could cause the extinction of the Maugean skate. The National Environment Law requires that the federal Environment Minister, Tanya Plibersek, reconsider the decisionthat permitted large-scale salmon farming in Macquarie Harbour "as soon as practicable."
The Australia Institute has written an open letter to UNESCO and the IUCN take appropriate action to protect the Maugean skate and ensure the heritage value of the TWWHA is preserved.
In previous submissions, the Australia Institute recommended a significant increase in fully protected areas, greater state government accountability, and full implementation of the proposed Macquarie Island Marine Park expansion. More than 80 organizations worldwide have called for an end to greenwashing practices linked to farmed salmon certifications, citing the role of the industry in the potential extinction of the critically endangered Maugean skate.

## Sources

* 1 2 3 4 5 Last, P.R.; Gledhill, D.C. & Sherman, C.S. (2016). "Dipturus maugeanus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T64442A68650404. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T64442A68650404.en. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
* 1 2 "Zearaja maugeana — Maugean Skate, Port Davey Skate". environment.gov.au. Department of Environment of the Commonwealth of Australia. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
* 1 2 3 4 "Conservation advice for Zearaja maugeana (Maugean skate)" (PDF). Australian Government Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water. Retrieved 7 February 2024.
* ↑ "Fish farm expansions risky for rare Port Davey skate dubbed 'the thylacine of the sea': scientists". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 24 July 2013. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
* ↑ "Top Australian scientists unite in defence of science on Maugean skate". The Australia Institute. 24 October 2024. Retrieved 10 January 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
* ↑ Weltz, Kay; Lyle, Jeremy M.; Bell, Justin D.; Semmens, Jayson M. (2019). "Dietary analysis reveals the vulnerability of the endangered Maugean skate (Zearaja maugeana) to benthic changes in Macquarie Harbour". Marine and Freshwater Research. 70 (5): 745–753. doi:10.1071/MF18231.
* 1 2 "Tide of public opinion supports stopping fish farming in Macquarie Harbour". The Australia Institute. 29 November 2024. Retrieved 10 January 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
* ↑ Carr, Eloise; Simpson, Evie (February 2024). "Save the Skate Reconsideration of Marine Farming Expansion, Macquarie Harbour,Tasmania (EPBC 2012/6406)" (PDF). The Australia Institute. Retrieved 10 January 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
* ↑ Carr, Eloise (4 April 2024). "Threat to heritage value of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area" (PDF). The Australia Institute Tasmania. Retrieved 10 January 2025.
* ↑ "UNESCO alerted to impact of salmon farming on World Heritage Area". The Australia Institute. 5 April 2024. Retrieved 10 January 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
* ↑ Simpson, Evie; Carr, Eloise (23 May 2023). "Submission: Tasmanian Waters, Commonwealth Problems". The Australia Institute. Retrieved 10 January 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
* ↑ "80-plus Groups Worldwide Demand End to Greenwashing Maugean Skate Extinction with Farmed Salmon Accreditations". The Australia Institute. 25 July 2023. Retrieved 10 January 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)