Deep sea rays & skates with Will White

This month we're talking about the flattest of the elasmobranchs: the bottom-dwelling batoids - the deep sea rays and skates!
We’re kicking off our cartilaginous fishes (Chondrichthyes) mini-series with the batoids - the rays and skates! Sharks are often associated with the deep sea, but did you know that batoids have been observed as deep as 3000m?
We speak with Will White who researches elasmobranchs across the world and who has described 50 species! He talks us through the differences between sharks rays and skates, and how these species utilise the deep sea. We hear about their fascinating (and hugely varied) reproductive strategies like those that are viviparous (will keep the eggs in their uterus) and others that are oviparous (will lay the eggs).
It wouldn’t be a Coffee with Andrew segment without a memorable insight into the world of a fish curator - and this month’s segment is no different! This time, Dr Thom asks Andrew about an unexpected factoid in one of Andrew’s publications: ‘Yolk smells and tastes like sweetened condensed milk’. We find out exactly how Andrew knows this.
 
We’re really trying to make this project self-sustaining so we have started looking for ways to support the podcast. Here’s a link to our page on how to support us, from the free options to becoming a patron of the show. We want to say a huge thank you to those patrons who have already pledged to support us:
Matthew Gerrard | Jeff Day | Colin Platt
Thanks again for tuning in, we’ll deep-see you next time!
 
Check out our podcast merch here! Which now includes Alan’s beloved apron and a much anticipated new design... 
 
Feel free to get in touch with us with questions or your own tales from the high seas on:
podcast@armatusoceanic.com
We’d love to actually play your voice so feel free to record a short audio note!
 
We are also on 
Twitter: @DeepSeaPod, @ArmatusO
Facebook: DeepSeaPodcast, ArmatusOceanic 
Instagram: @deepsea_podcast, @armatusoceanic
 
Keep up with the team on social media
Twitter: 
Alan - @Hadalbloke (https://twitter.com/Hadalbloke)
Thom - @ThomLinley (https://twitter.com/ThomLinley) 
Georgia - @geeinthesea (https://twitter.com/geeinthesea) 
 
Instagram: 
Georgia - @geeinthesea (https://www.instagram.com/geeinthesea/) 
 
Read the show notes and find out more about us at:
www.armatusoceanic.com
 
Links
Moku Art Studio virtual exhibition 
Thom appears on Radio New Zealand
Blog-style articles of our interviews
Here's a nice paper with a few observations of elasmobranch food falls
New parasite just dropped!
New shark family!
Bioluminescence 300 millions years older than previously thought
Fathomverse is now live!
More info on Will and his research
Will’s recent article on a new family of deepwater sharks
Great eggcase hunt - Sharks Trust
Andrew’s book mentioned in Coffee with Andrew
 
Credits
Theme – Hadal Zone Express by Märvel
Logo Image - Matthias Stehmann et al. (2021)
Edited by - Georgia Wells