Leucoraja wallacei (lat.) - a species of cartilaginous fish of the rhombic family of rays of the order of stingrays. They live in the southeast Atlantic. They are found at a depth of up to 500 m. Their large, flattened pectoral fins form a rhombus disk with a pointed snout. The maximum recorded length is 100 cm. Eggs are laid. They are not the target fishing target [1] [2] [3] .
| Leucoraja wallacei |
| Scientific classification |
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| No rank : | Bilateral symmetrical |
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| International scientific name |
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Leucoraja wallacei ( Hulley , 1970) |
| Synonyms |
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- Raja wallacei Hulley , 1970
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| Security status |
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Least ConcernedIUCN 3.1 Least Concern : 161492 |
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The species was first scientifically described in 1870 as Raja wallacei [4] . The holotype is an adult male 84.2 cm long, caught at a depth of 292 m ( ) [5] . Paratype: female 48.9 cm long [6] .
These bathydemersal ramps live off the coast of southern Africa in the waters of Namibia , Mozambique and South Africa . Found at a depth of 70-500 m, the most common in the range between 150 and 300 m [2] . The species is named after J. Wallace of the Oceanographic Research Institute ( Durban ) [7] .
The wide and flat pectoral fins of these rays form a rhombic disk with a triangular snout and rounded edges. On the ventral side of the disc are 5 gill slits, nostrils and mouth. On the thin tail there are lateral folds. These skates have 2 reduced dorsal fins and a reduced caudal fin [1] . The snout is short, the tip protrudes slightly. The dorsal surface of the disc is covered with spines with the exception of the central part of the pectoralis broad and blunt. The tail is longer than the disk. From the middle to the first dorsal fin, the disc is covered with 2–4 rows of spines. The dorsal surface is tan in color with bright yellow spots, often assembled into sockets and sometimes forming “eyes”. Some individuals are taupe with white spots. The ventral surface is white [8] .
The maximum recorded length is 100 cm [3] .
These stingrays lay eggs enclosed in a rigid horn capsule with protrusions at the ends. The length of the capsule is 7.3 and the width is 4.2 cm. Young slopes tend to follow large objects resembling their mother. The diet consists of bottom invertebrates [3] . Males and females become sexually mature at a length of about 40 cm and 39.5 cm, respectively, at the age of about 9 years. Life expectancy is estimated at 15 years [2] .
These skates are not subject to targeted fishing. Caught as by- catch when fishing a hake . Caught stingrays are usually thrown overboard. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has assigned the conservation status of “Least Concerns” [2] .
