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Marine Dimensions

Connecting people with our marine world

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        • Spotted Ray Fact File
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        • Undulate Ray Fact File
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        • White Skate Fact File
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      • What is a Mermaid’s Purse?
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      • Mermaid’s Purse Sightings Form
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    • What to do if you find a seal pup on the beach
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Blonde Ray Fact File

Blonde-Ray-Raja-brachyura
Blonde Ray, Raja brachyura.
Artwork: Sinead Begley

Fast Facts

Scientific Name: Raja brachyura

Gaelic Name: Roc fionn

Range:  Common in Irish and UK waters, distributed as far north as the western Isles of Scotland.

Habitat:  Usually found in less than 100m depth, it shows a preference for sandy grounds.

Lifespan:

Reproduction: Adults start reproducing at about 4 years of age and females lay 40-90 eggs throughout the year. The young hatch out of their eggcases during the summer.

Diet: Small fish and crustaceans, although it occasionally preys on molluscs.

Predators: Seals, humans.

Conservation status: Listed as Least Concern by the IUCN.

The Blonde Ray’s eggcase is large enough to fill an adult’s hand and the capsule can measure up to up to 12cm in length!

Blonde-Ray-Eggcase-SarahVarian-MarineDimensions

The eggcase can be recognized by its large size, pear shaped capsule and lateral keels. The proximal and distal fields are also prominent.

If you find one of these eggcases on the beach, please do report it to your local shark and ray sightings scheme.

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We get a buzz from connecting people from around the world with our fascinating marine world, especially when it comes to Ireland’s rich natural heritage!  Why not join our community and sign up to our mailing list? We would love to keep you posted and you can of course unsubscribe at any time.

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Choosing the Right Field Guide for the Seashore

The number one resource that we recommend through our work are field guides that we use for identifying shells and animals on seashore excursions. There are lots of guides out there to choose from but you will need to find a guide or species identification key that is right for you.

Check out our virtual Marine Experience workshop!

Find out more or make a booking at: The Virtual Marine Experience

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A Beachcomber’s Guide to Shells and other Wildlife Found on the Seashore

Many of us have enjoyed a stroll along a beautiful beach at some stage and we all have stories about the interesting things that we've found. In fact, the seashore is a great place to start learning about life in our oceans! A short walk along the wrack line can provide us with clues as to what's living in the sea close by. Natural things commonly found washed up on the beach … [Read More...] about A Beachcomber’s Guide to Shells and other Wildlife Found on the Seashore

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Do Marine Biologists Have to SCUBA Dive?

One question that we frequently get asked by students considering a career in marine biology is whether they need to learn to SCUBA dive. Marine biologists do not have to be able to dive.  Many roles are lab or office based and field work frequently involves surveys which are boat based or on the shoreline.  You actually don't even need to know how to swim!  Ofcourse, it is … [Read More...] about Do Marine Biologists Have to SCUBA Dive?

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How to Identify a Mermaid’s Purse

Collecting and identifying mermaids' purses on the shoreline can be a fun activity for the whole family, and although some skate and ray eggcases can be difficult to identify, there are a number of species that can be easily recognized without the eye of a specialist.  In fact, mermaid's purse spotting is fast becoming a popular beachcombing activity around the world, with citizen scientists … [Read More...] about How to Identify a Mermaid’s Purse



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