Rajella bathyphila (Holt & Byrne, 1908)
Deep-water ray
Rajella bathyphila
photo by Treberg, J.

Family:  Rajidae (Skates)
Max. size:  90 cm TL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  bathydemersal; marine; depth range 600 - 2300 m
Distribution:  North Atlantic and adjacent Arctic: ne USA to Rockall Trough (British Isles) (Ref. 114953).
Diagnosis:  Lower surface of the discus dark brown, darker in upper surface. Without definite markings, outer edges of pectoral and pelvic fins shading to darker (Ref. 6902).
Biology:  Found on deeper continental slopes and probably abyssal plains, mainly deeper than 1,400 m (Ref. 3167). Oviparous (Ref. 50449). Eggs have horn-like projections on the shell (Ref. 205). It is caught as by-catch in low numbers by deep trawl fisheries (Ref. 117245).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 20 June 2019 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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