Rajella paucispinosa

Weigmann, Stehmann & Thiel, 2014


Sparsely-thorned skate
Classification: Elasmobranchii Rajiformes Rajidae

Reference of the original description
Weigmann, S. & Stehmann, M. & Thiel, R. (2014)
Rajella paucispinosa n. sp., a new deep-water skate (Elasmobranchii, Rajidae) from the western Indian Ocean off South Mozambique, and a revised generic diagnosis. Zootaxa, 3847(3), 359–387

Types
Rajella paucispinosa
Holotype: ZMH: 26000;


Description :


Citation: Rajella paucispinosa Weigmann, Stehmann & Thiel, 2014: In: Database of modern sharks, rays and chimaeras, www.shark-references.com, World Wide Web electronic publication, Version 03/2024

Please send your images of "Rajella paucispinosa" to info@shark-references.com

Rajella paucispinosa, holotype, ZMH 26000, almost adult male 471 mm TL fresh, off South Mozambique © Dr. Simon Weigmann, Elasmobranch Research Laboratory, Hamburg, Germany
Common names
Sparsely-thorned skate

Short Description
Orignal diagnose (in parts) after WEIGMANN, STEHMANN & THIEL, 2014: A small species of the genus Rajella with disc evenly inverse heart-shaped with broadly rounded outer corners and with body length to mid-vent shorter than tail length from mid-vent. Dorsal surface almost completely covered with dermal denticles; tail with large and coarse, densely set spinules as well as sharp, hooked thornlets that are not much larger than spinules. Only one small, blunt pre- and postorbital thorn on each side; one small nuchal thorn and one small right scapular thorn (left one not detectable, abraded); a median row of two small median posterior trunk and 15 small median tail thorns. When fresh, dorsal surface plain chalk white including orbits and ventral surface grayish-white. [21110]

Distribution
western Indian Ocean off South Mozambique (only holotype) [21110];

Size / Weight / Age
471 mm TL (adult holotype), assumed maximum size of the species is about 500 mm [21110];

Habitat
marine; depth range 1230–1260 m [21110];

Dentition
31 close-set parallel tooth rows each in upper and lower jaws; individual tooth with low, subcircular base and elongated, conically pointed cusp [21110];

Remarks
shark-references Species-ID=14088;