Rajella bigelowi (Stehmann, 1978)
Bigelow's ray
Rajella bigelowi
photo by Canadian Museum of Nature, Ottawa, Canada

Family:  Rajidae (Skates)
Max. size:  55 cm TL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  bathydemersal; marine; depth range 650 - 4156 m
Distribution:  Eastern Atlantic: Rockall Trough along Ireland, northern Bay of Biscay, northern Morocco and Azores, off Rio de Oro (Western Sahara) and Conakry (Guinea). Western Atlantic: Grand Banks off Newfoundland, Canada southward to northeastern Gulf of Mexico. Distribution probably much wider in deep water.
Diagnosis:   
Biology:  Found on continental slopes and deepwater rises (Ref. 3167). Oviparous. Distinct pairing with embrace. Young may tend to follow large objects, such as their mother (Ref. 205). Eggs are oblong capsules with stiff pointed horns at the corners deposited in sandy or muddy flats (Ref. 205). Egg capsules are 5.3 cm long and 3.0 cm wide (Ref. 41249).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 20 June 2019 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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