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).
Body shape (shape guide): other.
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 2025-2 (Global))
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: bycatch
Tools
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Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82804) |
PD50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high]. |
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Bayesian length-weight
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a=0.00309 (0.00144 - 0.00663), 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) |
High vulnerability (55 of 100). 🛈 |
Price category (Ref. 80766) |
Medium.
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