Elasmobranchii (sharks and rays) >
Rajiformes (Skates and rays) >
Rajidae (Skates)
Etymology: Rajella: Latin, raja, -ae = a sting ray (Raja sp.) (Ref. 45335).
Eponymy: Dr Keppel Harcourt Barnard (1887–1964) was a UK-born South African invertebrate zoologist particularly interested in marine crustaceans. [...] (Ref. 128868), visit book page.
More on author: Norman.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; bathydemersal; depth range 102 - 1207 m (Ref. 106604). Deep-water
Eastern Atlantic: off Mauritania to South Africa, probably throughout on the deep, middle and upper slope, even on outer shelf of Namibia and South Africa.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 75.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 106604)
Found on the outer shelf and upper slope (Ref. 5578). Feeds on small crustaceans, squid and polychaete worms (Ref. 5578). Oviparous (Ref. 50449). Eggs have horn-like projections on the shell (Ref. 205). Taken by hake trawlers (Ref. 5578).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Oviparous, paired eggs are laid. Embryos feed solely on yolk (Ref. 50449).
McEachran, J.D. and K.A. Dunn, 1998. Phylogenetic analysis of skates, a morphologically conservative clade of elasmobranchs (Chondrichthyes: Rajidae). Copeia 1998(2):271-290. (Ref. 27314)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: bycatch
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