Rostroraja alba

(Lacépède, 1803)


Bottlenosed skate
Classification: Elasmobranchii Rajiformes Rajidae

Reference of the original description
Lacepède, B.G.E. (1803)
Histoire Naturelle des Poissons. Plassan, Paris, 5: i–lxiv, 1–803, i–lxvii, pls 1–21

Images of the original description (synonym)
Synonyms / new combinations and misspellings
Narcine bicolor, Raia alba, Raia marginata, Raia rostellata, Raja alba, Raja bicolor, Raja bramante, Raja marginata, Raja rostellata, Raja (Rostroraja) alba

Types
Rostroraja alba

Raia rostellata
XXXX: No types known;
Raja bicolor
XXXX: No types known;
Raja bramante
Holotype: MSNG: 42624
Raja marginata
XXXX: No types known;


Description :


Citation: Rostroraja alba (Lacépède, 1803): In: Database of modern sharks, rays and chimaeras, www.shark-references.com, World Wide Web electronic publication, Version 12/2024

Please send your images of "Rostroraja alba" to info@shark-references.com

Rostroraja alba (Lacépède, 1803), ERB 0463, female, 54,0 cm TL, 43,0 cm DW, South Africa © Frederik H. Mollen (Elasmobranch Research Belgium)
Common names
deu \(T\) Bandrochen, deu \(T\) Gerändeter Rochen, deu \(T\) Gesäumter Glattrochen, deu \(T\) Randrochen, deu \(T\) Spitzrochen, deu \(T\) Weißrochen, spa Cavach, spa Clavel, spa Ilisó, spa Raya blanca, spa Raya bramante, spa Raya picuda, spa Rayón, fra \(T\) Blanquette, fra \(T\) Fumat nègre, fra \(T\) Mirayet, fra \(T\) Petite raie-museau, fra \(T\) Raie blanche, fra \(T\) Raie blanche bordée, fra \(T\) Raie blanche à zone brune, eng Bordered ray, eng Bordered skate, eng Bottlenose, eng Bottlenose skate, eng Bottlenosed skate, eng Burton skate, eng Owl skate, eng Spearnose skate, eng White bordered skate, eng White bottle-nose skate, eng White skate, eng White-bellied skate, ita Baraccoletta, ita Baracoleta, ita Bbaròchëlë de fiure, ita Chiamita, ita Mezzaraja, ita Moro, ita Picara liscia, ita Picaredda, ita Pichira liscia, ita Raja liscia, ita Rasa capusinha, ita Razza bianca, ita Vacche, por Raia tairoga, por Raia-branca, por Raia-tairoga, por Raia-teiroga, por Tairoga

Short Description
A giant skate with a broad-based, abruptly narrow-tipped snout covered with small, sharp thorns; pectoral disc angular, and no thorns on nape or back, but three rows of large thorns on tail [536]. Larger immature and adult individuals grey with numerous small white spots above, underside white with no black pores; hatchlings plain reddish-brown above, often with blue spots, and white below with broad dusky grey margins on disc [536].

Distribution
Eastern Atlantic: Ireland and England southward round the Cape (South Africa) to central Mozambique [536], including western Mediterranean (to Tunisia and western Greece). Source: www.gbif.org

Human uses
fisheries: minor commercial; gamefish: yes; price category: medium; price reliability: very questionable: based on ex-vessel price for species in this family

Biology
Oviparous, paired eggs are laid. Embryos feed solely on yolk [733]. Eggs are laid in huge cases and take up to 18 months to hatch [536]. Distinct pairing with embrace. Young may tend to follow large objects, such as their mother [17086].

Size / Weight / Age
230 cm TL (male/unsexed; [5130]); 202 cm TL (female)

Habitat
demersal; marine; depth range 30 - 600 m [17687], usually 50 - 500 m [20084]

Remarks
shark-references Species-ID=6173;

1200 m off Costa Calma, 110 cm DW, 160 cm TL, copyright by: Simona Tietze (Costa Calma, Fuerteventura)

Parasites (arranged by Jürgen Pollerspöck)
Monogenea
  • Calicotyle kroyeri Diesing, 1850 [31118]
  • Empruthotrema raiae (Maccallum, 1916) Johnston & Tiegs, 1922 [31118]
  • Rajonchocotyle alba Cerfontaine, 1899 [22589] [31773]
  • Rajonchocotyle blandae Sproston, 1946 [17150]
  • Rajonchocotyle sp. [21223] [31118]

Cestoda
  • Acanthobothrium filicolle (Zschokke, 1887) [16247] [16448]
  • Acanthobothrium filicolle paulum Linton, 1891 [16448]
  • Acanthobothrium rajaebatis (Rudolphi, 1809) [16175] [16448] [28741]
  • Acanthobothrium sp. [16448]
  • Acanthobothrium ulondolozus Van Der Spuy, Smi & Schaeffner, 2022 [30465]
  • Acanthobothrium umbungus Van Der Spuy, Smi & Schaeffner, 2022 [30465]
  • Acanthobothrium usengozinius Van Der Spuy, Smi & Schaeffner, 2022 [30465]
  • Echinobothrium affine Diesing, 1863 [16430]

Trematoda
  • Probolitrema richiardii (López, 1888) [27172]

Copepoda
Isopoda
  • Ceratothoa steindachneri (Koelbel, 1878) [23898]