Elasmobranchii (sharks and rays) >
Rajiformes (Skates and rays) >
Anacanthobatidae (Smooth skates)
Etymology: Anacanthobatis: Greek, ana = up + Greek, akantha = thorn + Greek, batis, -idos = a ray (Ref. 45335).
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; bathydemersal; depth range 230 - 322 m (Ref. 5578). Deep-water; 24°S - 30°S, 29°E - 40°E (Ref. 57365)
Western Indian Ocean: known only from southern Mozambique to Durban, South Africa.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 29.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 95335)
Dorsal spines (total): 0. A brown-spotted legskate with smooth skin and a short slender tail less than body length; snout angular with tiny filament; pectoral disc with rounded corners; no large thorns on denticles except for alar spines on adult males (Ref. 5578). Legskates have pelvic fins separated into a mobile leg-like front lobe, and a rear lobe that may be fused to the tail base (Ref. 5578). Mottled brown and white with scattered ocelli dorsally; uniform pale ventrally (Ref. 6510). Papillae and rostral filament dark brown (Ref. 6510).
Body shape (shape guide): other.
Possibly the smallest southern African skate (Ref. 5578). Found on the upper slope (Ref. 5578).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Distinct pairing with embrace (Ref. 205).
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 2025-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: bycatch
Tools
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Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.6250 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01000 (0.00244 - 0.04107), b=3.04 (2.81 - 3.27), in cm total length, based on all LWR estimates for this body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.6 ±0.6 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (Assuming fecundity<100).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (19 of 100).
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