Skates are cartilaginous fish belonging to the family Rajidae in the superorder Batoidea of rays. They are carnivorous, feeding mostly on smaller fish and crustaceans. They have flat pectoral fins continuous with their head, two dorsal fins and a short, spineless tail. There are more than 200 described species in 25 genera.The big Skate, Raja binoculata, and longnose Skate, Raja rhina, are among the most common found in the Pacific Ocean, ranging from southern Alaska to northern Mexico. The big Skate , also known as the Pacific great Skate, reaches a width of 2.4m (8 ft.) across.