Elasmobranchii (sharks and rays) >
Rajiformes (Skates and rays) >
Arhynchobatidae (Softnose skates)
Etymology: Notoraja: Greek, noton = back + Latin, raja = fish, Raja sp. (Ref. 45335); inusitata: Name from Latin 'inusitatus' for unusual or strange; referring to the strange appearance of this ray.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; bathypelagic; depth range ? - 844 m (Ref. 91035). Tropical; 12°S - 15°S, 166°E - 169°E (Ref. 114953)
Western Pacific: Vanuatu.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 44.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 91035)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
This species (based on a juvenile male specimen of 44 cm TL) has the following set of characters: disc broadly heart-shaped with snout tip projecting as a short blunted triangle, single preorbital thorn; velvety dorsal surface of disc, covered with very fine denticles; ventral surface of disc naked; long and tapering tail, from base to first dorsal fin, slightly expanded at level of dorsal fins; tail entirely pricked except for its ventral base, an irregular mediodorsal row of small denticles on tail; lateral tail folds expanded at level of dorsal and caudal fins, its width less than tail width; low epichordal caudal-fin lobe; nasal lobes not greatly expanded, width of nasal curtain 7.7% TL; relatively narrow mouth, its width less than 66% of maximum width of nasal curtain and 5.1% TL; anterior and posterior pelvic-fin lobes are subequal in length; dorsal surface is pale greyish brown, ventral surface whitish; total pectoral-fin radials 74, monospondylous centra 27, total diplospondylous centra 116, total centra 143 (Ref. 91035).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Séret, B. and P.R. Last, 2012. New deep water skates of the genus Notoraja Ishiyama, 1958 (Rajoidei, Arhynchobatidae) from the southwest Pacific. Zoosystema, 34 (2):319-341. (Ref. 91035)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
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Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5001 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00562 (0.00288 - 0.01097), b=3.11 (2.94 - 3.28), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.7 ±0.7 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low to moderate vulnerability (34 of 100).
