| Arhynchobatidae (Softnose skates) |
| 71.9 cm WD (male/unsexed) |
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bathydemersal; marine; depth range 629 - 973 m |
| Tasman Sea: known from small section of the West Norfolk Ridge (ca 33º40–34°18' S, 167º 50–168°24’ E) at 629–973 m depth (Ref. 89011). |
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A large species of Brochiraja distinguished by the following combination of characters: long tail, 1.2–1.4 times disc length, 2.3–2.8 times ventral head length, 4.7–5.8 times snout length; orbit moderately large, 2.8–3.1 in preorbital snout length; tail slender but with relatively broad conical base, evenly tapering to mid-length of tail, width at pelvic-fin insertions 2.0–2.5 times width at midlength; anterior lobe of pelvic fin broadly spatulate; central dorsal disc with fine denticles, otherwise naked apart from enlarged, thorn-like denticles around margin of snout and near alar patch in adult males; tail with mediodorsal row of about 36–51 hooked thorns and small spiny denticles concentrated on its dorsolateral surface; single preorbital thorn, 0–1 midorbital thorns, 1–3 postorbital thorns; snout length 2.6–3.7 times distance from snout tip to bifurcate rostral thorn; calcified rostral shaft short; ventral disc and tail naked; alar thorns in a broad patch, flanked by smaller malar thorns; additional separate patch of malar thorns on snout forward of mid-eye; lateral skin fold very broad posteriorly, originating well forward, beside pelvic-fin inner margins in adult male; dorsal surface dark violet, ventral surface brownish blue, darker than dorsal surface; no beard-like patch beneath mouth; rows of faint pale-edged pores on ventral surface; tail tip white; nuchal pore patch distinct; total pectoral radials 76–77; predorsal vertebrae 112–114; 40–44 tooth rows in upper jaw (Ref. 89011). |
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Data deficient (DD); Date assessed: 22 June 2017 Ref. (130435)
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| harmless |
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