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🌊 Marine Least Concern 🌡️ Deep-water

West African skate

Bathyraja hesperafricana Stehmann, 1995
Max Length
342 cm
Max Weight
-
Lifespan
-
Trophic Level
4.3
Depth
750–2000 m
Climate
Deep-water
Resilience
Low
Vulnerability
88.00/100
Typical Length
-
Depth Zone
deep-water

📖 Overview

West African skate (Bathyraja hesperafricana) is a ray-finned fish of the family Arhynchobatidae. It inhabits marine (saltwater) waters in deep-water environments. This species can reach a maximum total length of 342 cm. It occurs at depths between 750 and 2000 metres. With a trophic level of 4.3, it is an apex predator. It is assessed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Scientific Name
Bathyraja hesperafricana
Authority
Stehmann, 1995
Habitat
Marine
Climate
Deep-water
IUCN Status
LC
Max Length
342 cm
Depth Range
750–2000 m
Trophic Level
4.3
Resilience
Low
Vulnerability
88.00/100
Salinity
30–40 ppt

🔬 Taxonomy

🐟 Physical Description

Physical description for West African skate is currently being compiled.

🌀 Behaviour

Behavioural data for West African skate is currently being reviewed.

🦐 Diet

small fish
crustaceans
cephalopods

🥚 Reproduction

🐣 Oviparous

Oviparous, paired eggs are laid. Embryos feed solely on yolk . Eggs have horn-like projections on the shell .

🌍 Habitat & Distribution

Marine; bathydemersal; depth range 750 - 2000 m . Deep-water Central Atlantic: Mauritania to Gabon.

🌿 Ecology

Zone Preferences
🌊 Marine 🌑 Deep Water
Trophic Level
4.3±0.8

📐 Morphometrics

Length–Weight Relationship: W = 0.00562 × L3.13 (TL)
Max TL
342cm

🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance

Salinity Range
30–40ppt

🛡️ Conservation Assessment

IUCN Category
Least Concern
Assessment Date
2020

📊 Population Risk & Fisheries

Population Resilience
Low
Minimum doubling time
Fishing Vulnerability
88.00/100
Very High vulnerability
Trophic Level
4.3
Apex / Top predator
Climate Zone
Deep-water
Described By
Stehmann, 1995

🗺️ Global Occurrence Map

Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 2 records indexed .

Occurrence density from GBIF View GBIF records ↗

👥 Community & Contribute

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