# Thornback ray (*Raja clavata*)

Canonical page: https://creaturedata.com/animals/thornback-ray  
Data as of: 2026-11-11

The thornback ray (Raja clavata) is a fish in the sharks and rays subgroup, belonging to the family Rajidae in the order Rajiformes. It is also called the Roker or Thornback skate, and its scientific name was given by Linnaeus, 1758. The thornback ray lives in marine habitats. The IUCN Red List global assessment places it in the Near Threatened (NT) category, which is not an IUCN threatened category.

## Quick facts

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Weight | Not recorded |
| Length | Not recorded |
| Lifespan | Not recorded |
| Main food | Not recorded |
| Habitat | marine |
| Young per litter or clutch | Not recorded |
| Conservation status | Near Threatened (IUCN) |
| Countries on record | Not recorded |

## Classification

- kingdom: Animalia
- phylum: Chordata
- class: Elasmobranchii
- order: Rajiformes
- family: Rajidae
- genus: Raja
- species: *Raja clavata* Linnaeus, 1758

Synonyms: *Cephaleutherus maculatus*, *Hieroptera abredonensis*, *Malacoraja clavata*, *Raia aspera*, *Raia clavata*, *Raia rhizacanthus*, *Raia rubus*, *Raja aspera*, *Raja bonaespeiensis*, *Raja capensis*, *Raja leiobatos*, *Raja pontica*, *Raja pontica*, *Raja rubus*

## Common questions

### What kind of animal is the thornback ray?

The thornback ray is a fish in the sharks and rays subgroup. It belongs to the class Elasmobranchii, order Rajiformes and family Rajidae.

### What is the scientific name of the thornback ray?

The scientific name of the thornback ray is Raja clavata, in the genus Raja.

### Is the thornback ray endangered?

No, it is listed as Near Threatened (NT) in the IUCN Red List global assessment, which is not an IUCN threatened category.

### What habitat does the thornback ray live in?

The thornback ray lives in marine habitats.

### Who named the thornback ray and when?

The thornback ray was named by Linnaeus, 1758.

### What are other names for the thornback ray?

The thornback ray is also called the Roker and the Thornback skate.

## Sources

- [Catalogue of Life eXtended Release](https://www.checklistbank.org/dataset/316691), CC BY 4.0, 2026-10-16 XR. Catalogue of Life (2026). Catalogue of Life eXtended Release, version 2026-10-16 XR. Catalogue of Life Foundation, Amsterdam, Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.48580/dgzlf
- [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org), per file (CC0 / public domain / CC BY green, CC BY-SA amber, anything else not displayed), 2026-11-11. Wikimedia Commons contributors. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org (each file credited to its author under its own licence).
- [Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org), CC0 1.0, 2026-11-11. Wikidata contributors. Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org (data retrieved via the Wikidata Query Service).
- [Wikipedia (English)](https://en.wikipedia.org), CC BY-SA 4.0, 2026-11-11. Wikipedia contributors. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. https://en.wikipedia.org (text under CC BY-SA 4.0; each block names its article and revision).

Cite as: Thornback ray (Raja clavata). Retrieved from https://creaturedata.com/animals/thornback-ray