Dipturus stenorhynchus (Wallace, 1967)
Prow-nose skate
Dipturus stenorhynchus
photo by FAO

Family:  Rajidae (Skates)
Max. size:  101 cm TL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  bathydemersal; marine; depth range 253 - 761 m
Distribution:  Western Indian Ocean: southern Mozambique to Plettenberg Bay, South Africa.
Diagnosis:  An all-dark longnose skate with a greatly elongated, broadly triangular snout, and a stout tail - shorter than body and with mid-section swollen and triangular-shaped; disc with angular corners and smooth underside; small thorn at nape (Ref. 5578). Uniform dark grey above and below with black mucous pores on the underside (Ref. 2708, 5578).
Biology:  Found on upper and mid-continental slope (Ref. 114953). Oviparous (Ref. 50449). Eggs have horn-like projections on the shell (Ref. 205). Males reaches maturity at ca. 83-98 cm TL; smallest known specimen at 24 cm TL; hatching size possibly at ca. 24 cm TL (Ref. 114953).
IUCN Red List Status: Data deficient (DD); Date assessed: 24 April 2018 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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