9 ▁and ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁showed ▁that ▁the ▁species ▁should ▁be ▁split ▁into ▁two , ▁the ▁smaller ▁southern ▁D . ▁c f . ▁fl oss ada ▁( blue ▁sk ate ), ▁and ▁the ▁larger ▁northern ▁D . ▁c f . ▁inter med ius ▁( f la pper ▁sk ate ). ▁Under ▁this ▁tax onom ic ▁arrangement , ▁the ▁name ▁D . ▁bat is ▁is ▁disc arded . ▁Alternatively , ▁the ▁scientific ▁name ▁D . ▁bat is ▁( with ▁fl oss ada ▁as ▁a ▁syn onym ) ▁is ▁retained ▁for ▁the ▁blue ▁sk ate ▁and ▁D . ▁inter med ius ▁for ▁the ▁fla pper ▁sk ate . ▁ ▁Description ▁The ▁common ▁sk ate ▁can ▁reach ▁up ▁to ▁ ▁in ▁length , ▁ ▁in ▁width , ▁and ▁ ▁in ▁weight , ▁making ▁it ▁the ▁largest ▁sk ate ▁in ▁the ▁world . ▁Over all ▁shape ▁features ▁a ▁pointed ▁sn out ▁and ▁rh omb ic ▁shape , ▁with ▁a ▁row ▁of ▁sp ines ▁or ▁th orn s ▁along ▁the ▁tail . ▁ ▁The ▁top ▁surface ▁is ▁generally ▁col oured ▁o live - gre y ▁to ▁brown , ▁often ▁with ▁a ▁pattern ▁of ▁sp ots , ▁and ▁the ▁unders ide ▁is ▁l ighter ▁blue - gre y . ▁It ▁can ▁be ▁confused ▁with ▁several ▁other ▁sk ates ▁in ▁its ▁range , ▁such ▁as ▁D . ▁n id ar osi ensis , ▁D . ▁o xy rin chus , ▁and ▁Rost ror aja ▁al ba . ▁ ▁Range , ▁habitat , ▁and ▁e col ogy ▁The ▁common