Common skates belong to the Rajidae family which includes skates and rays. The common skate is the largest European batoid fish (flat elasmobranch fish with the pectoral fins fused to the sides of the head). Females can reach lengths of about 280cm and males about 200cm. Males mature at a length of about 125cm and females at about 180cm (both at over 10 years old). The species can live from 20 up to 100 years.