Classification / Names
Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa
Elasmobranchii (sharks and rays) >
Rajiformes (Skates and rays) >
Rajidae (Skates)
Etymology: Caliraja: The prefix name Cali- refers to the state of California, United States and Gulf of California, Baja California, Mexico, the regions where the types of all four recognized species were described.
More on authors: Jordan & Gilbert.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; demersal; depth range 13 - 1600 m (Ref. 96339). Temperate; 49°N - 21°N, 127°W - 105°W (Ref. 114953)
Eastern Pacific: Juan de Fuca Strait in Canada and USA to central Baja California, Mexico.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 76.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 2850); common length : 45.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 9261)
Common in inshore waters from approximately 15 m and in shallow bays, sometimes in deep water (Ref. 2850, Ref. 114953). Feeds on small benthic invertebrates, polychaete worms and shrimps (Ref. 114953). Oviparous. Distinct pairing with embrace. Young may tend to follow large objects, such as their mother (Ref. 205). Eggs are oblong capsules with stiff pointed horns at the corners deposited in sandy or muddy flats (Ref. 205). Egg capsules are 7.0-8.5 cm long and 6.5-7.6 cm wide (Ref. 41300). Males reaches maturity at ca. 47 cm TL, females at 52 cm TL; young hatch at ca. 15-23 cm TL (Ref. 114953).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Oviparous, paired eggs are laid. Embryos feed solely on yolk (Ref. 50449). Distinct pairing with embrace. Young may tend to follow large objects, such as their mother (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 2024-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: minor commercial
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Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature (Ref.
123201): 5.3 - 14.2, mean 7.5 °C (based on 42 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5156 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00302 (0.00141 - 0.00645), b=3.24 (3.07 - 3.41), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.8 ±0.6 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (Fec assumed to be <100).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Moderate to high vulnerability (50 of 100).
