Sinobatis caerulea Last & Séret, 2008
Blue Legskate

Family:  Anacanthobatidae (Smooth skates)
Max. size:  69 cm TL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  bathydemersal; marine; depth range 482 - 1168 m
Distribution:  Eastern Indian Ocean: off Western Australia (Refs. 75174, 114953).
Diagnosis:  This species is distinguished by the following set of characters: disc large, width at anterior orbit 8.0-9.1 times mouth width; tail short, postcloacal length 35-42% of disc length; eyes relatively small, orbit diameter 10.9-15.7 in horizontal snout and 13.1-17.9 in head lengths respectively; distal portion of tail weakly or slightly expanded, width of tail near tip 1.5-1.6 times tail width at its midlength; pectoral-fin radials 72-76; moderate-sized pelvic fins, anterior lobe 15.4-16.0% TL; anterior pelvic-fin lobe rather broad-based, width 1.7-2.2 in distance between pelvic-fin origins; caudal fin rudimentary; tooth rows in each jaw of adults 24-30; monospondylous vertebral centra 26-29, total centra 184-212; dorsal and ventral surfaces bluish in fresh specimens (Ref. 75174)..
Biology:  Found on upper continental slope. Life history unknown but presumably feeds on invertebrates and bony fishes (Ref. 114953).
IUCN Red List Status: Data deficient (DD); Date assessed: 19 February 2015 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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