| Family: |
Arhynchobatidae (Softnose skates) |
| Max. size: |
47.5 cm TL (male/unsexed); 34.6 cm TL (female) |
| Environment: |
bathydemersal; marine; depth range 1256 - 1472 m |
| Distribution: |
Eastern Pacific, between Costa Rica and Ecuador. |
| Diagnosis: |
This heart-shaped, medium-size species is distinguished by the following characters: dark brownish dorsal and ventral surface; the disc is slightly wider 54.7 (51.7-55.2) %TL than long 51.6 (49.0-54.3) %TL; dorsal head length 21.3 (18.9-20.4) %TL; interspiracular width 6.3 (6.6-7.6) %TL; internarial space 8.4 (6.6-7.9) %TL; preorbital length 14.9 (13.0-14.9) %TL, 4.4 (3.8-4.9) times orbit length and 3.0 (2.9-3.3) times distance between eyes (interorbital space); tail width
at pelvic fin axil 1.5 (1.3-1.4) times its height; presence of a single, strong, hook-like, angled posteriorly preorbital thorn; disk with small, fine denticles, randomly distributed, slightly more abundant on the sides of the caudal region; long claspers (cloacal length) 23.8% TL and slim; long and slender tail, covered with abundant strong, thin, non aligned and posteriorly angled thorns, which differs from all other congeners; thin lateral tail folds merging at tail axil, thinner than tail width at any point and enlarged posteriorly; nasal lobes are expanded, nasal curtain maximum width 8.4 (7.8-9.5) %TL; anterior pelvic-fin lobe is longer than posterior 13.1 (16.2-16.8) %TL and 10.1 (7.8-9.8)% TL when straightened (shorter than posterior in natural position though); total pectoral-fin radials 65 (63-65); monospondylus centra 25 (24-26); predorsal diplospondylous centra 58 (60-65); total predorsal centra 83 (85-91); caudal centra 20 (22-25) total centra 118 (123-128) (Ref. 117110). |
| Biology: |
Female maturity and size at birth not known (but the smallest specimen taken was 24.3 cm TL) (Ref. 117110). |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 08 February 2019 Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
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