Description

Very broad, almost pentagonal disc, light above and abruptly dark below; snout bluntly pointed with a flexible tip, eyes small and close together, and a disc with broadly rounded rear margins and tips (Ref. 5578). Small juveniles with and adults without thorns and covered only with small denticles (Ref. 5578). Slate-grey or greyish-brown above except rear margins of pectoral and pelvic fins and claspers of adult males which are dark brown; dark brown below, sometimes with light blotches (Ref. 5578). Lack of large thorns on its disc posterior to the scapular region (Ref. 6902).

Common Names

No common names available.

Taxonomic Hierarchy

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Elasmobranchii

Order: Rajiformes

Family: Rajidae

Genus: Malacoraja

Species: Malacoraja spinacidermis (Barnard, 1923)

Climate Zone

Location

Biology

A very rare species inhabiting continental slopes and probably down to the abyssal plains (Ref. 3167). Benthic (Ref. 58426). Adults usually at depths greater than 1,500 m while juveniles are mainly taken from about 450 m downward (Ref. 4426). Minimum depth reported taken from Ref. 4426. Feeds on crustaceans (Ref. 58426). Oviparous (Ref. 50449). Eggs have horn-like projections on the shell (Ref. 205). This species is occasionally captured as by-catch (Ref. 117245).

Habitat

bathydemersal