Melbourne skate

The Melbourne skate (Spiniraja whitleyi) is a species of fish in the belonging to the skate family Rajidae. It is the only species in the genus Spiniraja. It is endemic to southern Australia. Its natural habitat is open seas. It is found at depths up to 345 meters.^[2]

Melbourne skate
Conservation status
Vulnerable  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Chondrichthyes
Subclass:	Elasmobranchii
Order:	Rajiformes
Family:	Rajidae
Genus:	Spiniraja Whitley, 1939
Species:	S. whitleyi
Binomial name
Spiniraja whitleyi (Iredale, 1938)
Synonyms
Dipturus whitleyi Raja whitleyi