Back Rajiformes Afrikaans ورنكيات الشكل Arabic Скатоподобни Bulgarian Raža BS Raïformes Catalan Rajiformes CEB Praví rejnoci Czech Rajiformes German Rajiformes Spanish Rajiformes Basque
| Rajiformes Temporal range: [1]
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|---|---|
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| Little skate (Leucoraja erinacea) | |
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Chondrichthyes |
| Subclass: | Elasmobranchii |
| Infraclass: | Euselachii |
| Clade: | Neoselachii |
| Superorder: | Batoidea |
| Order: | Rajiformes L. S. Berg, 1940 |
Rajiformes /ˈrædʒɪfɔːrmiːz/ is one of the four orders in the superorder Batoidea, flattened cartilaginous fishes related to sharks. Rajiforms are distinguished by the presence of greatly enlarged pectoral fins, which reach as far forward as the sides of the head, with a generally flattened body. The undulatory pectoral fin motion diagnostic to this taxon is known as rajiform locomotion. The eyes and spiracles are located on the upper surface of the head and the gill slits are on the underside of the body. Most species give birth to live young, although some lay eggs enclosed in a horny capsule ("mermaid's purse").[citation needed]
- ^ Sebastian Stumpf; Jürgen Kriwet (2019). "A new Pliensbachian elasmobranch (Vertebrata, Chondrichthyes) assemblage from Europe, and its contribution to the understanding of late Early Jurassic elasmobranch diversity and distributional patterns". PalZ. 93 (4): 637–658. doi:10.1007/s12542-019-00451-4.