Elasmobranchii (sharks and rays) >
Rajiformes (Skates and rays) >
Rajidae (Skates)
Etymology: heemstrai: Named after Phillip C. Heemstra who provided 5 specimens of this species (Ref. 31308).
Eponymy: Dr Phillip Clarence Heemstra (1941–2019) was an American/South African marine ichthyologist and scientific diver. [...] (Ref. 128868), visit book page.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; bathydemersal; depth range 200 - 500 m (Ref. 106604). Deep-water
Western Indian Ocean: off Kenya and Tanzania (Ref. 31308) to southern Mozambique (Ref. 11228).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 60.5 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 106604)
Oviparous (Ref. 50449). Eggs have horn-like projections on the shell (Ref. 205). Minimum depth from Ref. 58018.
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
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Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82804) |
PD50 = 0.5001 [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) |
4.1 ±0.6 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 (49 of 100). 🛈 |