Elasmobranchii (sharks and rays) >
Rajiformes (Skates and rays) >
Gurgesiellidae (Pygmy skates)
Etymology: Fenestraja: Latin, fenestra, -ae = small hole or opening in a bone + Latin, raja, -ae = a fish, Raja sp. (Ref. 45335).
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; bathydemersal; depth range ? - 595 m (Ref. 26282). Deep-water
Western Central Atlantic: Bahamas to the northern Caribbean.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Longer rostral cartilage. Long interspace between dorsal fins. Upper surface of disc, pelvic fins and tail pale pinkish brown without distinctive markings. Lower surface plain whitish, later becoming clouded with chocolate brown (Ref. 6902).
Solitary (Ref. 26340). 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 2024-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: of no interest
Tools
Special reports
Download XML
Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature (Ref.
123201): 11.4 - 18.8, mean 14.2 °C (based on 14 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5039 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00661 (0.00222 - 0.01969), b=2.95 (2.71 - 3.19), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.8 ±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): Low vulnerability (22 of 100).