page_title: Egg case (Chondrichthyes)
section_title: Skates
hierarchical_section_title: Egg case (Chondrichthyes) / Skates
caption_attribution_description: English: Fresh egg case belonging to the big skate species.
context_page_description: An egg case or egg capsule is the casing that surrounds the eggs of oviparous sharks, skates and chimaeras. Egg cases typically contain one embryo, except for big skate and mottled skate egg cases, which contain up to 7 embryos. Oviparity is completely absent in the superorder Squalomorphii.
context_section_description: The skates (Rajidae, Arhynchobatidae, Anacanthobatidae) are the only rays that are oviparous. Females lay egg cases onto the sea floor after fertilization occurs in utero. While in utero, a protected case forms around the embryo which is called the egg case. Studies have been done where egg cases were removed from gravid females to ensure proper identification in regard to skate species. Egg cases have distinguishable characteristic traits that are unique to that species, thus making it a great tool for identifying a skate. The two most distinguishable features on the egg case are the keel and the absence or presence of a fibrous covering. A keel runs laterally along both sides of the outer edge of the egg case; it is a flexible structure. Keels will also run the length of the horns on some skate species. Some egg cases have broad keels (greater than 10% of the maximum egg case width) while others have narrow keels (less than 10% of the maximum egg case width). Many egg cases are covered with a layer of fiber; some will have a fine layer while others have a thick layer.
caption: Egg case of a big skate
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