Elasmobranchii (sharks and rays) >
Rajiformes (Skates and rays) >
Rajidae (Skates)
Etymology: Leucoraja: Greek, leykos = white + Latin, raja = a fish, Raja sp. (Ref. 45335); elaineae: Named for Elaine Heemstra, for her enormous contributions in illustrating marine fishes, mostly from the Western Indian Ocean.
Eponymy: Elaine Margaret Heemstra née Lawrence formerly Grant is Scientific Illustrator Emeritus at the South Africa Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity. [...] (Ref. 128868), visit book page.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; demersal; depth range ? - 484 m (Ref. 121922). Tropical
Western Indian Ocean: Kenya.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 33.0 cm TL (female)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
This species is distinguished by the following set of characters: an elongated, pronounced snout; simple dorsal color patterning of paired white spots and a single distinct ocelli at the mid-base of each pectoral fin, absence of tail bands or crossbars; dorsal fins not confluent, predorsal vertebral count 107; pectoral fin radial count 77 (Ref. 121922).
Cross section: flattened.
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Ebert, D.A. and R.W. Leslie, 2019. Leucoraja elaineae sp. nov., a new rough skate (Rajiformes: Rajidae) from the Western Indian Ocean. Zootaxa 4691(3):225-234. (Ref. 121922)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: minor commercial
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