Overview
Comprehensive Description
Biology
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McEachran, J.D. and K.A. Dunn 1998 Phylogenetic analysis of skates, a morphologically conservative clade of elasmobranchs (Chondrichthyes: Rajidae). Copeia (2):271-290. (Ref. 27314)
http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=27314&speccode=54441
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Distribution
Range Description
The distribution map for the Pacific White Skate in McEachran and Notarbartolo-di-Sciara (1995) depicts the species occurring in the Galápagos Islands (apparently also followed by Ebert (2003)). This appears to be an error, and the species has not been recorded around the Galápagos Islands (J.D. McEachran pers. comm. 2007). This species was described by Beebe and Tee-Van (1941) from a location ‘sixty miles south of Cocos Islands’ (04°50′N, 87°W), and it is this record that may have been confused for the Galápagos Islands.
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McEachran, J.D. 1995 Rajidae. Rayas. p. 773-777. In W. Fischer, F. Krupp, W. Schneider, C. Sommer, K.E. Carpenter and V. Niem (eds.) Guia FAO para Identification de Especies para los Fines de la Pesca. Pacifico Centro-Oriental. 3 Vols. FAO, Rome. (Ref. 9261)
http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=9261&speccode=13209
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Physical Description
Size
Max. size
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McEachran, J.D. 1995 Rajidae. Rayas. p. 773-777. In W. Fischer, F. Krupp, W. Schneider, C. Sommer, K.E. Carpenter and V. Niem (eds.) Guia FAO para Identification de Especies para los Fines de la Pesca. Pacifico Centro-Oriental. 3 Vols. FAO, Rome. (Ref. 9261)
http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=9261&speccode=13209
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Ecology
Habitat
Habitat and Ecology
Attains a maximum length of at least 203 cm (Dolganov and Tuponogov 1999). Like other skates, reproduction is oviparous (Ebert 2003). An egg case measured 9.2 cm length and 6.65 cm width (Ebert and Davis 2007). Size at birth is reported at ~26 cm TL (Ebert 2003).
Systems
- Marine
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Water temperature and chemistry ranges based on 36 samples.
Environmental ranges
Depth range (m): 1400 - 2743.76
Temperature range (°C): 1.763 - 3.310
Nitrate (umol/L): 39.898 - 42.507
Salinity (PPS): 34.600 - 34.641
Oxygen (ml/l): 1.517 - 2.352
Phosphate (umol/l): 2.903 - 3.033
Silicate (umol/l): 126.632 - 181.171
Graphical representation
Depth range (m): 1400 - 2743.76
Temperature range (°C): 1.763 - 3.310
Nitrate (umol/L): 39.898 - 42.507
Salinity (PPS): 34.600 - 34.641
Oxygen (ml/l): 1.517 - 2.352
Phosphate (umol/l): 2.903 - 3.033
Silicate (umol/l): 126.632 - 181.171
Note: this information has not been validated. Check this *note*. Your feedback is most welcome.
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Environment
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Russian Academy of Sciences 2000 Catalog of vertebrates of Kamchatka and adjacent waters. 166 p. (Ref. 50610)
http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=50610&speccode=2592
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Life History and Behavior
Life Cycle
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Breder, C.M. and D.E. Rosen 1966 Modes of reproduction in fishes. T.F.H. Publications, Neptune City, New Jersey. 941 p. (Ref. 205)
http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=205&speccode=1256
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Molecular Biology and Genetics
Molecular Biology
Statistics of barcoding coverage: Bathyraja spinosissima
Public Records: 0
Species: 3
Species With Barcodes: 1
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Conservation
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List Assessment
Red List Category
Red List Criteria
Version
Year Assessed
Assessor/s
Reviewer/s
Contributor/s
Justification
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Trends
Population
Population Trend
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Threats
Threats
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IUCN 2006 2006 IUCN red list of threatened species. www.iucnredlist.org. Downloaded July 2006.
http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=57073
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Management
Conservation Actions
At present, the species occurs mainly beyond the depth of fishing operations on rocky untrawlable substrate. It is unlikely then, that deep bottom trawl fisheries will develop in the area, however the situation should be monitored. Like other large deepwater skates, this species is probably intrinsically vulnerable to population depletion and therefore any bycatch would be of concern. Further specimens are required for research on the species’ biology and life-history characteristics.
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Relevance to Humans and Ecosystems
Benefits
Importance
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McEachran, J.D. 1995 Rajidae. Rayas. p. 773-777. In W. Fischer, F. Krupp, W. Schneider, C. Sommer, K.E. Carpenter and V. Niem (eds.) Guia FAO para Identification de Especies para los Fines de la Pesca. Pacifico Centro-Oriental. 3 Vols. FAO, Rome. (Ref. 9261)
http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=9261&speccode=13209
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Wikipedia
Pacific white skate
- "White skate" may also refer to Rostroraja alba.
The Pacific white skate (Bathyraja spinosissima) is a species of skate, family Rajidae. It is one of the deepest-living of all skates, occurring at a depth of 800 to 2,938 m on the continental slope. It is native to the southeast Pacific Ocean from the Galapagos Islands to off Waldport, Oregon; an egg case and embryo has been collected from the Farallon Islands off San Francisco. Reports of it from the Sea of Okhotsk may represent a different species. Its species name, spinosissima, comes from the Latin spinosus meaning "thorny", referring to its covering of dermal denticles.[1]
The flattened pectoral fin disc of the Pacific white skate is slightly wider than long, with broadly rounded tips. The disc is covered with numerous small denticles above and below, giving it a shagreen-like texture. Adult males possess alar spines (on the dorsal surface of the pectoral fins near the tips). The tail is slightly longer than the disc, bearing a single median row of 23-29 thorns and two similar-sized dorsal fins near the end without an interdorsal thorn. The caudal fin is long and taperine, with a filamentous fold on its upper surface. Its teeth number 34 in the upper jaw and 23 in the lower. This species is a uniform pale to salty gray above and below, with dusky outer disc margins.[1]
The Pacific white skate feeds on benthic fishes. Like other skates they are oviparous; the egg cases are olive green in color and longitudinally striated, with horn-like projections on the shell. The size at birth is about 25 cm; the maximum known size is 1.5 m. They are of no commercial interest but are occasionally taken as by-catch.[1][2]
References
- ^ a b c Ebert, D.A. (2003). Sharks, Rays, and Chimaeras of California. London: University of California Press. ISBN 0-520-23484-7.
- ^ Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2008). "Bathyraja spinosissimus" in FishBase. November 2008 version.
Unreviewed



