Elasmobranchii (sharks and rays) >
Rajiformes (Skates and rays) >
Arhynchobatidae (Softnose skates)
Etymology: Bathyraja: Greek, bathys = deep + Latin, raja, -ae = a ray (Raja sp) (Ref. 45335); hesperafricana: hesper (Greek)=the westerly, or evening quarter of the heavens; africanus (Latin)=of African distribution (Ref. 11284).
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; bathydemersal; depth range 750 - 2000 m (Ref. 11284). Deep-water
Eastern Central Atlantic: Mauritania to Gabon.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 342 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 11284)
Oviparous (Ref. 50449). Eggs have horn-like projections on the shell (Ref. 205).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Oviparous, paired eggs are laid. Embryos feed solely on yolk (Ref. 50449). Eggs have horn-like projections on the shell (Ref. 205).
McEachran, J.D. and K.A. Dunn, 1998. Phylogenetic analysis of skates, a morphologically conservative clade of elasmobranchs (Chondrichthyes: Rajidae). Copeia 1998(2):271-290. (Ref. 27314)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: bycatch
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