Elasmobranchii (sharks and rays) >
Rajiformes (Skates and rays) >
Rajidae (Skates)
Etymology: Malacoraja: Greek, malakos = soft + Latin, raja, -ae = ray, fis (Raja sp.) (Ref. 45335); obscura: Specific name derived from the Latin obscurus, meaning dark or indistinct, in reference to the the subtle nature of the differences separating this species from its congeners.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; bathydemersal; depth range 808 - 1105 m (Ref. 72455). Tropical
Distribution
Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri
Southwestern Atlantic: continental slope of southeastern Brazil, off the states of Espirito Santo (19°39' S, 38°38' W) and Rio de Janeiro (21°46' S, 39°53' W).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 68.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 72455)
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
de Carvalho, M.R., U.L. Gomes and O.B.F. Gadig, 2005. Description of a new species of skate of the genus Malacoraja Stehmann, 1970: the first species from the southwestern Atlantic Ocean, with notes on generic monophyly and composition (Chondrichthyes: Rajidae). Neotrop. Ichthyol. 3(2):239-258. (Ref. 72455)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
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Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature (Ref.
123201): 4 - 4.5, mean 4.1 °C (based on 7 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5625 [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): 3.6 ±0.4 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (Preliminary low fecundity).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Moderate to high vulnerability (47 of 100).