Whitemouth Skate

Bathyraja papilionifera is a large deep-water skate with a chestnut-brown dorsal surface. Larger specimens may have small bluish-white spots on the disc. The underside is cream-white anteriorly and predominantly dark posteriorly, with a characteristic butterfly-shaped brown blotch surrounding the anus. The tail is predominantly dark brown.

The species was originally known from the continental slope off northern Argentina, at approximately 40° S, 56° W, where the type specimens were collected at depths of 660–1,040 m. Stehmann regarded it as a deep-water species and suggested that adults may occur at greater depths.

The specific epithet papilionifera means “butterfly-bearing”, referring to the butterfly-shaped dark blotch around the anus.