Elasmobranchii (sharks and rays) >
Rajiformes (Skates and rays) >
Rajidae (Skates)
Etymology: Amblyraja: Greek, amblys = darkness + Latin, raja, -ae = ray (Raja sp.) (Ref. 45335).
Eponymy: This is a form of toponym rather than an eponym: TAAF = Territoire des Terres australes et antarctiques françaises (French Southern and Antarctic Territories). (Ref. 128868), visit book page.
Issue
Possibly a junior synonym of A. hyperborea due to strong morphological similarity according to Ebert & Stehmann (2013, Ref. 98315) and Weigmann (2016, Ref. 118749) (Ref. 118749).
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; bathydemersal; depth range 150 - 600 m (Ref. 114953), usually 375 - 390 m (Ref. 58018). Polar; 35°S - 49°S, 180°W - 180°E
Southeastern Atlantic: South Africa (Compagno et al. in Ebert et al. 2009 but see Ref. 114953); Indian Ocean: Crozet I. (Ref. 45488). Subantarctic: Widespread.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 90.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 114953)
Found on insular shelves and slopes. Mainly feeds on benthic invertebrates and bony fishes (Ref. 114953). Oviparous (Ref. 50449). Eggs have horn-like projections on the shell (Ref. 205). Young hatches at ca. 17 cm TL (Ref. 114953).
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. 130435: Version 2025-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: subsistence fisheries
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