Bathyraja tunae Stehmann, 2005

Family:  Arhynchobatidae (Softnose skates)
Max. size:  100 cm TL (female)
Environment:  bathydemersal; marine; depth range 1700 - 2240 m
Distribution:  Western Indian Ocean: Mozambique Channel.
Diagnosis:  This species is characterized by the following: moderately extended snout and mouth; wide interorbital space; broad space between the first gill slits; tail length shorter than body length; almost completely prickly upper but smooth lower surfaces, no thorns on disc, but only a median row of 19 thorns along tail to D1; nearly confluent dorsal fins without thorn between them; > 30 upper tooth rows; 40-44 trunk vertebrae; dorsal edge of scapulocoracoid strongly sloping to metacondyle; high number of postventral foramina, markedly short and broadly drop-shaped anterior cranial fontanelle (Ref. 75588).
Biology: 
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 24 April 2018 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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