| Family: |
Rajidae (Skates) |
| Max. size: |
150 cm TL (male/unsexed) |
| Environment: |
bathydemersal; marine; depth range 70 - 1461 m |
| Distribution: |
Eastern Atlantic: central Norway to Senegal, including the Faeroes, Skagerrak, Mediterranean, and the Canary and Madeira islands. |
| Diagnosis: |
|
| Biology: |
Found in deeper slope waters (Ref. 4426), but mainly around 200 m (Ref. 3167, Ref. 114953). Found on sand and sand-rock bottoms (Ref. 6808). Feeds on all kinds of bottom animals (Ref. 3167), mainly cephalopods and crustaceans (Ref. 114953). Minimum depth reported taken from Ref. 6808. Become sexually mature at a length of about 120 cm (Ref. 35388); young hatch at ca. 17 cm TL (Ref. 114953). Breeds in spring and early summer (Ref. 114953). Oviparous. Distinct pairing with embrace. Young may tend to follow large objects, such as their mother (Ref. 205). Eggs are oblong capsules with stiff pointed horns at the corners deposited in sandy or muddy flats (Ref. 205). Egg capsules are 14.0-23.5 cm long and 11.0-12.0 cm wide (Ref. 41251, 41304). |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Near Threatened (NT); Date assessed: 21 November 2014 Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
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