| Rajidae (Skates) |
| 70 cm TL (male/unsexed) |
|
bathydemersal; marine; depth range 450 - 1570 m |
| Eastern Atlantic: Baffin Bay-Davis Strait Offshore to Iceland-Faeroe Ridge, off northwest Africa (Rio de Oro), off southern Namibia and South Africa. |
|
Very broad, almost pentagonal disc, light above and abruptly dark below; snout bluntly pointed with a flexible tip, eyes small and close together, and a disc with broadly rounded rear margins and tips (Ref. 5578). Small juveniles with and adults without thorns and covered only with small denticles (Ref. 5578). Slate-grey or greyish-brown above except rear margins of pectoral and pelvic fins and claspers of adult males which are dark brown; dark brown below, sometimes with light blotches (Ref. 5578). Lack of large thorns on its disc posterior to the scapular region (Ref. 6902). |
| A very rare species inhabiting continental slopes and probably down to the abyssal plains (Ref. 3167). Benthic (Ref. 58426). Adults usually at depths greater than 1,500 m while juveniles are mainly taken from about 450 m downward (Ref. 4426). Minimum depth reported taken from Ref. 4426. Feeds on crustaceans (Ref. 58426). Oviparous (Ref. 50449). Eggs have horn-like projections on the shell (Ref. 205). This species is occasionally captured as by-catch (Ref. 117245). |
|
Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 20 June 2019 Ref. (130435)
|
| harmless |
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