Elasmobranchii (sharks and rays) >
Rajiformes (Skates and rays) >
Rajidae (Skates)
Etymology: Leucoraja: Greek, leykos = white + Latin, raja = a fish, Raja sp. (Ref. 45335).
Environment / Climate / Range
Ecology
Marine; bathydemersal; depth range 30 - 550 m (Ref. 4426). Deep-water; 72°N - 27°N, 24°W - 34°E
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 120 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 35388); 111.0 cm TL (female)
Dorsal
spines
(total): 0;
Anal
spines: 0;
Anal
soft rays: 0. Snout pronounced, rather pointed; disc rhomboid, with angled outer corners upper surface entirely spinulose, underside prickly on large areas; about 8 thorns usually in a complete row around inner margin of eye, small thorns on scapular, generally a row of about 50 thorns on each side of midline from shoulder to first dorsal fin; upper surface plain ashy-grey, underside white (Ref. 3167).
Eastern Atlantic: Murmansk in Russia, Norway, southern Iceland, the Faroes, northern North Sea and Skagerrak to northern Morocco, including western Mediterranean and the Madeira Islands.
Found in relatively cold coastal waters and on upper parts of continental slopes (Ref. 3167). Most common at depths of around 200 m, but deeper in southern areas (Ref. 3167). Feed on all kinds of bottom animals, probably preferring fish (Ref. 3167). Oviparous. Distinct pairing with embrace. Young may tend to follow large objects, such as their mother (Ref. 205). Eggs are oblong capsules with stiff pointed horns at the corners deposited in sandy or muddy flats (Ref. 205). Egg capsules are 7.5-9.9 cm long and 4.5-4.7 cm wide (Ref. 41250). Maximum length for female is 111 cm (Ref. 41333).
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.
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 90363)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: minor commercial
More information
Age/SizeGrowthLength-weightLength-lengthLength-frequenciesMorphometricsMorphologyLarvaeLarval dynamicsRecruitmentAbundance
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Estimates of some properties based on empirical models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82805): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00358 (-0.17640 - 0.18356), b=3.21 (3.12 - 3.31), based on LWR estimates for this family-BS (Ref.
93245).
Trophic Level (Ref.
69278): 3.5 ±0.37 se; Based on food items.
Resilience (Ref.
69278): Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (Assuming tm>5).
Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): High to very high vulnerability (67 of 100) .