Bigelow's ray explained

Bigelow's ray (Rajella bigelowi), also called the chocolate skate or Bigelow's skate,[1] is a species of skate in the family Rajidae.[2] [3] [4] It is named in honour of the oceanographer Henry Bryant Bigelow.[5]

Distribution

Bigelow's ray lives on continental slopes and deepwater rises around the edges of the Atlantic Ocean. It has been recorded at, mostly below .[6] [7]

Description

Like all rays, Bigelow's ray has a flattened body with broad, wing-like pectoral fins. The body is sub-rhomboid. It is dark on the dorsal surface, with the outer edges of the disc and pelvic fins shading to a slightly darker colour.[2]

Its maximum length is .[8]

Behaviour

Bigelow's ray feeds on small benthic crustaceans.[9]

Life cycle

Bigelow's ray is oviparous. The eggs are oblong capsules with stiff pointed horns at the corners; they are deposited in sandy or muddy flats.[10]

It is parasitised by Ditrachybothridium macrocephalum (tapeworms of the order Diphyllidea).[8]

Notes and References

  1. Book: Hamlett, William C.. Sharks, Skates, and Rays: The Biology of Elasmobranch Fishes. May 21, 1999. JHU Press. 9780801860485. Google Books.
  2. Web site: Chocolate or Bigelow's Skate (Rajella bigelowi). Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Government of Canada. December 19, 2016. www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca.
  3. Book: Priede, Imants G.. Deep-Sea Fishes: Biology, Diversity, Ecology and Fisheries. August 10, 2017. Cambridge University Press. 9781316033456. Google Books.
  4. Book: Marine Fishes of Arctic Canada. Brian W.. Coad. James D.. Reist. January 1, 2018. University of Toronto Press. 9781442647107. Google Books.
  5. Book: Sharks: An Eponym Dictionary. Michael. Watkins. Bo. Beolens. January 30, 2015. Pelagic Publishing Ltd. 9781784270377. Google Books.
  6. Book: Sharks and Their Relatives II: Biodiversity, Adaptive Physiology, and Conservation. Jeffrey C.. Carrier. John A.. Musick. Michael R.. Heithaus. March 9, 2010. CRC Press. 9781420080483. Google Books.
  7. Web site: Shorefishes - The Fishes - Species. biogeodb.stri.si.edu.
  8. Web site: WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Rajella bigelowi (Stehmann, 1978). www.marinespecies.org.
  9. Book: Rays of the World. Peter. Last. Gavin. Naylor. Bernard. Séret. William. White. Matthias. Stehmann. Marcelo de. Carvalho. December 1, 2016. Csiro Publishing. 9780643109155. Google Books.
  10. Web site: Rajella bigelowi, Bigelow's ray. www.fishbase.se.

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