Bathyraja maculata Ishiyama & Ishihara, 1977
White-blotched skate
Bathyraja maculata
photo by Orlov, A.

Family:  Arhynchobatidae (Softnose skates)
Max. size:  134 cm TL (male/unsexed); max.weight: 8,500.0 g
Environment:  bathydemersal; marine; depth range 70 - 1193 m
Distribution:  Northwest Pacific: known from the type locality, the Bering Sea.
Diagnosis:  This species is distinguished from its congeners Bathyraja in having a white blotches of different sizes on the dorsal surface of the disk, lateral folds of tail are broad; clasper has a large pseudosiphon; dense silky fibers covering egg capsule (Ref. 75535).
Biology:  Holotype taken from a depth of about 450 m (Ref. 26282). Maximum depth based on report for Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (Ref. 80796). Oviparous. Distinct pairing with embrace. Young may tend to follow large objects, such as their mother (Ref. 205). Eggs are oblong capsules with stiff pointed horns at the corners deposited in sandy or muddy flats (Ref. 205). Egg capsules are 10.19 cm long and 6.28 cm wide (Ref. 41249).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 27 July 2015 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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