Thornback ray buckler (Καλκανόβατος)

Description:

The thornback ray is probably one of the most common rays of the Greek seas. It has a flattened body with broad, wing-like pectoral fins. The body is kite-shaped with a long, thorny tail. The back is covered in numerous thorny spines, as is the underside in older females. In the sexually mature fish, some of the spines are thickened with button-like bases (known as bucklers). These are particularly well developed on the tails and backs of sexually mature females. The pictured buckler was spotted among pebbles, sand and pieces of seashells, in Kala Nera beach, Pagasitikos gulf, Greece.