Elasmobranchii (sharks and rays) >
Rajiformes (Skates and rays) >
Rajidae (Skates)
Etymology: Dipturus: Greek, di = two + Greek, pteryx = fin (Ref. 45335).
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; brackish; bathydemersal; depth range ? - 439 m (Ref. 5578). Deep-water; 24°S - 25°S, 35°E - 37°E (Ref. 114953)
Western Indian Ocean: known only from off the Limpopo River mouth, Mozambique.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 82.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 5578)
Short description
Morphology | Morphometrics
A pale-spotted longnose skate with an elongated, acutely triangular snout, and a very slender tail- as long as body and tapering from base to tip; disc with angular corners and smooth underside except of small denticles on edges and tip of snout; thorns on upper surface of disc and tail conspicuously lighter than surrounding skin; spine at nape (Ref. 5578). Dark grey with numerous small light spots dorsally; grey with black pores ventrally, and with light areas around gills and at front of edge of disc (Ref. 5578).
Probably taken by offshore trawlers (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). Eggs have horn-like projections on the shell (Ref. 205).
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. 126983)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: of no interest
More information
Age/SizeGrowthLength-weightLength-lengthLength-frequenciesMorphometricsMorphologyLarvaeLarval dynamicsRecruitmentAbundanceBRUVS
ReferencesAquacultureAquaculture profileStrainsGeneticsAllele frequenciesHeritabilityDiseasesProcessingNutrientsMass conversion
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