Deepwater ray
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Chondrichthyes
Subclass: Elasmobranchii
Superorder: Batoidea
Order: Rajiformes
Family: Rajidae
Genus: Rajella
Species:
R. bathyphila
Binomial name
Rajella bathyphila
(Holt & Byrne, 1908)
Synonyms[2]
  • Raja bathyphila (Holt & Byrne, 1908)
  • Raja bathyphilla (Holt & Byrne, 1908)

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]

Description

Like all rays, the deepwater ray has a flattened body with broad, wing-like pectoral fins. The dorsal surface of adults is white.[11] 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.[12]

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.[13] It is parasitised by Echeneibothrium bathyphilum, a cestode tapeworm of the order Rhinebothriidea.[14]

Life cycle

The deepwater ray is oviparous. The eggs have horn-like projections on the shell. Paired eggs are laid, with embryos feed solely on yolk.

See also

  • Fish of the Atlantic Ocean

References

  1. ↑ Stehmann, M. (December 1, 2008). "IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Rajella bathyphila". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species – via www.iucnredlist.org.
  2. ↑ "WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Rajella bathyphila (Holt & Byrne, 1908)". www.marinespecies.org.
  3. ↑ Coad, Brian W.; Reist, James D. (January 1, 2018). Marine Fishes of Arctic Canada. University of Toronto Press. ISBN 9781442647107 – via Google Books.
  4. ↑ "Rajella bathyphila | Shark-References". shark-references.com.
  5. ↑ "Taxonomy browser (Rajella bathyphila)". www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.
  6. ↑ "Mindat.org". www.mindat.org.
  7. ↑ 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.
  8. ↑ Ebert, David A.; Sulikowski, James (December 25, 2008). Biology of Skates. Springer Science & Business Media. ISBN 9781402097034 – via Google Books.
  9. 1 2 3 "Rajella bathyphila, Deep-water ray". www.fishbase.se.
  10. ↑ 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.
  11. ↑ 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.
  12. ↑ "Marine Species Identification Portal : Deepwater ray - Raja bathyphila". species-identification.org.
  13. ↑ "Species: Rajella bathyphila (Deep-water skate) Justification". shkola.of.by.
  14. ↑ "WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Rajella bathyphila (Holt & Byrne, 1908)". www.marinespecies.org.
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