Elasmobranchii (sharks and rays) >
Rajiformes (Skates and rays) >
Rajidae (Skates)
Etymology: Raja: Latin, raja, -ae = a sting ray (Raja sp.) (Ref. 45335). More on author: Garman.
Environment / Climate / Range
Ecology
Marine; demersal; depth range 32 - 384 m (Ref. 108920), usually ? - 45 m (Ref. 7251). Tropical, preferred ?
Western Central Atlantic: Florida, USA to Yucatan, Mexico.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 51.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 2850)
Short description
Morphology | Morphometrics
Disc broadly rounded. Upper surface of disk is pale and has dark spots. Ocellus on each pectoral fin usually oval. Ocelli are closer (Ref. 7251). Lower surface white without dark markings (Ref. 6902).
Benthic (Ref. 51024). 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).
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. 115185)
CITES (Ref. 94142)
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
More information
Age/SizeGrowthLength-weightLength-lengthLength-frequenciesMorphometricsMorphologyLarvaeLarval dynamicsRecruitmentAbundance
ReferencesAquacultureAquaculture profileStrainsGeneticsAllele frequenciesHeritabilityDiseasesProcessingMass conversion
Tools
Special reports
Download XML
Internet sources
Estimates of some properties based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82805): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00288 (0.00127 - 0.00656), b=3.21 (3.03 - 3.39), in cm Total Length, based on LWR estimates for this Genus-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic Level (Ref.
69278): 3.7 ±0.5 se; Based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
69278): Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (Fec assumed to be <100).
Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Moderate vulnerability (37 of 100) .