Elasmobranchii (sharks and rays) >
Rajiformes (Skates and rays) >
Gurgesiellidae (Pygmy skates)
Etymology: Gurgesiella: Latin, gurges = abyss, whirlpool (Ref. 45335).
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; bathydemersal; depth range 470 - 800 m (Ref. 57911). Deep-water; 20°S - 40°S, 60°W - 40°W (Ref. 57911)
Southwest Atlantic: Brazilian coast, from Rio de Janeiro to Rio Grande do Sul.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 53.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 57911); common length : 19.0 cm WD male/unsexed; (Ref. )
Holotype taken from a depth of 800 m (Ref. 26282). Oviparous (Ref. 50449). Eggs have horn-like projections on the shell (Ref. 205). Feeds on fishes and crustaceans (Ref. 57911). Max. width (Teodoro Vaske Jr., pers. comm., 2002).
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 2024-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
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Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature (Ref.
123201): 4.9 - 10.1, mean 6.9 °C (based on 13 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.6250 [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): 4.0 ±0.66 se; based on food items.
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (Fec assumed to be <100).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Moderate vulnerability (41 of 100).