Broad skate vs Common Baskettail

Amblyraja badia compared with Epitheca cynosura

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Broad skate	Common Baskettail
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class	Elasmobranchii	Insecta (Insects)
Order	Rajiformes (Rajiformes)	Odonata (Odonata)
Family	Rajidae	Corduliidae
Genus	Amblyraja	Epitheca
Species	Amblyraja badia	Epitheca cynosura

Evolutionary Relationship

Broad skate and Common Baskettail share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

Conservation Status

Broad skate

LC — Least Concern

Common Baskettail

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Broad skate	Common Baskettail
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Broad skate

Common Baskettail

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Found in United States.

Broad skate

The Broad Skate (Amblyraja badia) is a species in the genus Amblyraja. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. This species is recognized for its ecological significance within its native range.

Common Baskettail

The common baskettail (<em>Epitheca cynosura</em>) is a dragonfly found across terrestrial and freshwater habitats of the United States. It is classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, reflecting a stable and widespread population within its native range. <em>Epitheca cynosura</em> belongs to the family Corduliidae and is typically associated with ponds, lakes, marshes, and slow-moving streams, where its aquatic larvae develop. Adults are often observed patrolling over open water and forest edges in search of prey and mates. The species is named for the basket-like egg mass that females carry at the tip of their abdomen before depositing eggs in water. Males often form feeding swarms, particularly in the morning hours, where they capture small flying insects. Biological traits of this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature.