Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa

Elasmobranchii (sharks and rays) > Rajiformes (Skates and rays) > Arhynchobatidae (Softnose skates)
Etymology: aenigma: Name from Latin 'aenigma' or enigma, in allusion to its unresolved taxonomic status.
More on authors: Last & McEachran.

Issue
Placement in the genus is provisional pending the discovery of juvenile specimens. Based on a 43.6 cm TL female holotype which is probably close to maturity, lacking both rostral and orbital thorns (Ref. 58023).

Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecology

Marine; bathydemersal; depth range ? - 437 m (Ref. 58023). Deep-water

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri

Western Pacific: New Zealand.

Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: L_m ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 43.6 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 58023)

Short description Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics

A species of Brochiraja with the following combination of characters: rounded disc; very long tail, 1.5 times disc length, 2.9 times ventral head length, 6.8 times snout length; orbit moderately large, 2.4 in preorbital snout length; calcified rostral shaft very short; tail base narrow, width at pelvic fin insertions 2 times width at midlength; dermal denticles closely spaced, over entire upper disc; mid-dorsal surface of tail with thorns and denticles; dorsolateral surface of tail without thorns; orbital thorns absent; entire ventral surface naked; medium brownish with darker mottling above and below; indistinct rows of pale-edged pores on ventral surface; nuchal pore band indistinct; anterior pelvic fin lobe bulbous, black tipped; total pectoral radials 73-74; predorsal vertebrae 115; c. 30 tooth rows in upper jaw (Ref. 58023).

Known only from a single specimen; no information on mature males or juveniles (Ref. 58023).

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator : McEachran, John | Collaborators

Last, P.R. and J.D. McEachran, 2006. New softnose skate genus Brochiraja from New Zealand (Rajidae: Arhynchobatinae) with description of four new species. N. Z. J. Mar. Freshwater Res. 40(1):65-90. (Ref. 58023)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)

Data deficient (DD) ; Date assessed: 20 June 2017

CITES

Not Evaluated

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

Harmless

Human uses

Fisheries: of no interest

FAO - Publication: search | FishSource |

More information

Trophic ecology
Food items
Diet composition
Food consumption
Food rations
Predators

Ecology
Ecology

Population dynamics
Growth parameters
Max. ages / sizes
Length-weight rel.
Length-length rel.
Length-frequencies
Mass conversion
Recruitment
Abundance

Life cycle
Reproduction
Maturity
Maturity/Gills rel.
Fecundity
Spawning
Spawning aggregations
Eggs
Egg development
Larvae
Larval dynamics

Distribution
Countries
FAO areas
Ecosystems
Occurrences
Introductions
BRUVS - Videos

Anatomy
Gill area
Brain
Otolith

Physiology
Body composition
Nutrients
Oxygen consumption
Swimming type
Swimming speed
Visual pigments
Fish sound
Diseases & Parasites
Toxicity (LC50s)

Genetics
Genetics
Heterozygosity
Heritability

Human related
Aquaculture systems
Aquaculture profiles
Strains
Ciguatera cases
Stamps, coins, misc.

Outreach
Collaborators

Taxonomy
Common names
Synonyms
Morphology
Morphometrics
Pictures

References
References

Tools

Special reports

Check for Aquarium maintenance | Check for Species Fact Sheets | Check for Aquaculture Fact Sheets

Download XML

Summary page | Point data | Common names | Photos

Internet sources

Estimates based on models

Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82804): PD₅₀ = 0.5039 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].

Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00562 (0.00288 - 0.01097), b=3.11 (2.94 - 3.28), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref. 93245).

Trophic level (Ref. 69278): 3.7 ±0.7 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives

Resilience (Ref. 120179): Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).

Fishing Vulnerability (Ref. 59153): Low to moderate vulnerability (34 of 100).

Brochiraja aenigma Last & McEachran, 2006