Deepwater ray
| Deepwater ray | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Chondrichthyes |
| Subclass: | Elasmobranchii |
| Order: | Rajiformes |
| Family: | Rajidae |
| Genus: | Rajella |
| Species: | R. bathyphila
|
| Binomial name | |
| Rajella bathyphila (Holt & Byrne, 1908)
| |
| Synonyms[2] | |
| |
The deepwater ray (Rajella bathyphila), also called the deepwater skate or abyssal skate,[3][4] is a species of skate in the family Rajidae.[5][6][7][8]
Distribution
The deepwater ray is bathydemersal; it has been recorded at 600–2,300 m (2,000–7,500 ft), mostly below 1,300–1,400 m (4,300–4,600 ft). It has been found in seas worldwide, concentrated in the North Atlantic, living on continental slopes and abyssal plains.[9][10] They ccur in water temperatures between 2.5–4 °C (36.5–39.2 °F).[11]
Description
Like all rays, the deepwater ray has a flattened body with broad, wing-like pectoral fins. The dorsal surface of adults is white.[12] The outer edges of pectoral and pelvic fins shade to darker.[9] The upper surface is spinulose, but there are bare patches in the centre of the pectoral fins and on sides of body in adult males.[13] The dorsal fins are confluent.[11]
Its maximum length is 90 cm (3.0 ft).[9]
Behaviour
Juveniles feed on small benthic invertebrates, while larger deepwater rays feed on larger invertebrates and fish.[14] It is parasitised by Echeneibothrium bathyphilum, a cestode tapeworm of the order Rhinebothriidea.[2]
Life cycle
The deepwater ray is oviparous. The eggs have horn-like projections on the egg case. Egg cases measure 8–9 centimetres (3.1–3.5 in) in length and 4–6 centimetres (1.6–2.4 in) in width. Females lay around 40 egg cases annually. Total length of deepwater rays at maturity is around 65–75 centimetres (26–30 in)[11] Paired eggs are laid, with embryos feeding solely on yolk.
See also
- Fish of the Atlantic Ocean
References
- ^ Dulvy, N.K.; Kulka, D.W.; Anderson, B.; Pacoureau, N.; Derrick, D. (2020). "Rajella bathyphila". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020 e.T161345A124469469. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T161345A124469469.en. Retrieved 20 April 2026.
- ^ a b "Rajella bathyphila (Holt & Byrne, 1908)". WoRMS. World Register of Marine Species.
- ^ Coad, Brian W.; Reist, James D. (January 1, 2018). Marine Fishes of Arctic Canada. University of Toronto Press. ISBN 9781442647107 – via Google Books.
- ^ "Rajella bathyphila | Shark-References". shark-references.com.
- ^ "Taxonomy browser (Rajella bathyphila)". ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.
- ^ "Mindat.org". mindat.org.
- ^ Last, Peter; Naylor, Gavin; Séret, Bernard; White, William; Stehmann, Matthias; Carvalho, Marcelo de (December 1, 2016). Rays of the World. Csiro Publishing. ISBN 9780643109155 – via Google Books.
- ^ Ebert, David A.; Sulikowski, James (December 25, 2008). Biology of Skates. Springer Science & Business Media. ISBN 9781402097034 – via Google Books.
- ^ a b c Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Rajella bathyphila". FishBase.
- ^ Carrier, Jeffrey C.; Musick, John A.; Heithaus, Michael R. (March 9, 2010). Sharks and Their Relatives II: Biodiversity, Adaptive Physiology, and Conservation. CRC Press. ISBN 9781420080483 – via Google Books.
- ^ a b c Ebert, David A.; Dando, Marc (2021). Field Guide to Sharks, Rays, and Chimaeras of Europe and the Mediterranean. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press. p. 132. ISBN 978-0-691-20598-4.
- ^ Ebert, David A.; Dando, Marc (December 8, 2020). Field Guide to Sharks, Rays & Chimaeras of Europe and the Mediterranean. Princeton University Press. ISBN 9780691211824 – via Google Books.
- ^ "Marine Species Identification Portal : Deepwater ray - Raja bathyphila". species-identification.org.
- ^ "Species: Rajella bathyphila (Deep-water skate) Justification". shkola.of.by. Archived from the original on 2021-10-23. Retrieved 2021-10-23.
External links
- Data related to Rajella bathyphila at Wikispecies