Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes (gen., sp.) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa

Elasmobranchii (sharks and rays) > Rajiformes (Skates and rays) > Rajidae (Skates)
Etymology: Raja: Latin, raja, -ae = a sting ray (Raja sp.) (Ref. 45335).

Environment / Climate / Range Ecology

Marine; demersal; depth range 1 - 183 m. Subtropical, preferred ?; 30°N - 18°N, 98°W - 80°W

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri

Western Central Atlantic: Florida, USA and the Gulf of Mexico.

Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: L_m ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 53.0 cm WD male/unsexed; (Ref. 7251)

Short description Morphology | Morphometrics

Disk diamond-shaped; round dark spot surrounded by pale ring on base of each pectoral fin. (Ref. 26938). No small pale or dark spots on upper surface of disk, but sometimes dark blotches. No scapular spines, 1 middorsal row of spines. Distance from ocellus to eye usually less than or about equal to distance between ocelli. Snout with a clear area on each side (Ref. 7251). Upper surface rich chocolate or coffee brown, translucent on either side fo rostral cartilage. Lower surface plain white (Ref. 6902).

Occur from near shore to 183 m depth at temperatures ranging from 14 to 28° C but it is most common inshore of 91 m at 16-25°C. Young occur in shallow bays. Adults tend to live offshore (Ref. 26938). Feed mainly on decapod crustaceans and to a lesser extent on other benthic invertebrates and fishes. 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 6.3 cm long and 3.8 cm wide (Ref. 41359).

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae

Oviparous, paired eggs are laid. Embryos feed solely on yolk (Ref. 50449). Distinct pairing with embrace. oung may tend to follow large objects, such as their mother (Ref. 205).

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator : McEachran, John | Collaborators

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. 115185)

Data deficient (DD)

CITES (Ref. 94142)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

Harmless

Human uses

Fisheries: minor commercial; bait: occasionally

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Estimates of some properties based on models

Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82805): PD₅₀ = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].

Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00288 (0.00127 - 0.00656), b=3.21 (3.03 - 3.39), in cm Total Length, based on LWR estimates for this Genus-body shape (Ref. 93245).

Trophic Level (Ref. 69278): 3.8 ±0.58 se; Based on food items.

Resilience (Ref. 69278): Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (Fec assumed to be <100).

Vulnerability (Ref. 59153): Moderate to high vulnerability (47 of 100) .

Price category (Ref. 80766): Medium.

Raja texana Chandler, 1921