Elasmobranchii (sharks and rays) >
Rajiformes (Skates and rays) >
Anacanthobatidae (Smooth skates)
Etymology: Anacanthobatis: Greek, ana = up + Greek, akantha = thorn + Greek, batis, -idos = a ray (Ref. 45335).
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; bathydemersal; depth range 230 - 322 m (Ref. 5578). Deep-water; 24°S - 30°S, 29°E - 40°E (Ref. 57365)
Western Indian Ocean: known only from southern Mozambique to Durban, South Africa.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 29.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 95335)
Dorsal spines (total): 0. A brown-spotted legskate with smooth skin and a short slender tail less than body length; snout angular with tiny filament; pectoral disc with rounded corners; no large thorns on denticles except for alar spines on adult males (Ref. 5578). Legskates have pelvic fins separated into a mobile leg-like front lobe, and a rear lobe that may be fused to the tail base (Ref. 5578). Mottled brown and white with scattered ocelli dorsally; uniform pale ventrally (Ref. 6510). Papillae and rostral filament dark brown (Ref. 6510).
Possibly the smallest southern African skate (Ref. 5578). Found on the upper slope (Ref. 5578).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Distinct pairing with embrace (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: bycatch
Tools
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Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.6250 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01000 (0.00244 - 0.04107), b=3.04 (2.81 - 3.27), in cm total length, based on all LWR estimates for this body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.6 ±0.6 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (Assuming fecundity<100).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (19 of 100).