Elasmobranchii (sharks and rays) >
Rajiformes (Skates and rays) >
Arhynchobatidae (Softnose skates)
Etymology: Bathyraja: Greek, bathys = deep + Latin, raja, -ae = a ray (Raja sp) (Ref. 45335).
Eponymy: Dr Sir Andrew Smith (1797–1872) was a Scotsman who joined the Army Medical Service (1819) after graduating from Edinburgh University. [...] (Ref. 128868), visit book page.
More on authors: Müller & Henle.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; bathydemersal; depth range 440 - 1020 m (Ref. 5578). Deep-water; - 40°S
Southeast Atlantic: off central Namibia to Agulhas Bank, South Africa.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 120 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 5578)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
A large softnose skate with a broadly triangular, bluntly pointed snout and an angular pectoral disc; tail shorter than body and with a single row of large thorns; upper disc of young with thorns but these are lost with growth (Ref. 5578). Dorsal surface greyish and may have white spots, ventral surface white with dark grey blotches around gill slits, vent and along ventral surface of tail (Ref. 5578). Tail with no color bands (Ref. 5578).
Found on the upper continental slope (Ref. 27121). A bottom-predator that feeds on bony fishes including hake, jacopever, barracudina and dragonet; also squid, octopus, crabs and prawns (Ref. 5578). Oviparous (Ref. 50449). Eggs have horn-like projections on the shell (Ref. 205). Sometimes caught by hake trawlers (Ref. 5578).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Oviparous, paired eggs are laid. Embryos feed solely on yolk (Ref. 50449). Eggs have horn-like projections on the shell (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
Special reports
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Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature (Ref.
123201): 4.6 - 11.8, mean 5.4 °C (based on 13 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00550 (0.00291 - 0.01038), b=3.13 (2.97 - 3.29), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this Genus-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 4.3 ±0.67 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): High to very high vulnerability (72 of 100).
