Elasmobranchii (sharks and rays) >
Rajiformes (Skates and rays) >
Gurgesiellidae (Pygmy skates)
Etymology: Fenestraja: Latin, fenestra, -ae = small hole or opening in a bone + Latin, raja, -ae = a fish, Raja sp. (Ref. 45335).
Eponymy: Pluto was the ruler of the underworld in classical mythology. [...] (Ref. 128868), visit book page.
More on author: Garman.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; bathydemersal; depth range 290 - 750 m (Ref. 28767). Deep-water
Western Central Atlantic: North Carolina, USA to the Gulf of Mexico.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 25.3 cm TL (female)
First and dorsal confluent. Thorns on anterior part of tail and disc are larger and more conspicuous. Upper surface from pale yellowish brown to darker greyish brown, purplish brown or mouse gray. Lower surface yellowish white (Ref. 6902).
Deep water species (Ref. 6902). 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).
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: bycatch
Tools
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Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature (Ref.
123201): 8.5 - 15.9, mean 11.5 °C (based on 77 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5039 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00661 (0.00222 - 0.01969), b=2.95 (2.71 - 3.19), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.7 ±0.5 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): Low vulnerability (15 of 100).