Elasmobranchii (sharks and rays) >
Rajiformes (Skates and rays) >
Rajidae (Skates)
Etymology: Rajella: Latin, raja, -ae = a sting ray (Raja sp.) (Ref. 45335).
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; bathydemersal; depth range 496 - 1477 m (Ref. 106604). Deep-water
Southeast Atlantic: known only from the three type specimens collected from off the west coast of South Africa and one record from off Morocco.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 79.2 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 106604)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Long snout, small eyes, and a thick disc; tail about as long as body; moderate-sized conspicuous light thorns in 2 prominent rows from shoulders to 1st dorsal fin, no or few mid-dorsal thorns, and no thorns on snout (Ref. 5578). Medium grey to purplish-brown dorsally, white ventrally but dusky on disc margins, around vent and on underside of tail (Ref. 5578).
Inhabits the upper slope (Ref. 5578). Minimum depth reported taken from Ref. 5578. 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
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Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature (Ref.
123201): 3.8 - 7.9, mean 6 °C (based on 59 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5000 [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): 3.7 ±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): Moderate to high vulnerability (52 of 100).