A striking two-toned longnose skate, medium brown above and abruptly dark grey below, with a large, conspicuous, dark brown blotch on the upper base of each pectoral fin (Ref. 5578). Snout moderately elongated and bluntly triangular, and tail stout, not conspicuously swollen and about equal to body length; pectoral disc with broadly rounded corners and smooth underside without denticles; thorns at nape and along midline of back and tail to 1st dorsal fin, nape spine enormous in young (Ref. 5578). Hatchlings and juveniles with wide-spaced black spots on upper disc, inconspicuous or lost in adolescents and adults; adults sometimes with numerous small white spots (Ref. 5578). Underside with numerous black pores (Ref. 5578).