Sapphire skate

Séret, B. and P.R. Last, 2009. Notoraja sapphira sp. nov. (Rajoidei: Arhynchobatidae), a new deepwater skate from the slopes of the Norfolk Ridge (South-West Pacific). Zootaxa 2153:24-34.

The sapphire skate (Notoraja sapphira) is another skate with a rich blue dorsal side, sporting a black outer margin blending in with the dark ventral surface of this skate. Its tail is a brown-black color, as are their gill slits, while their cloaca opening and the sides of their mouth are pale in colour. These skates also show off an impressive long and slender tail.

Not much is known biologically about these skates as they are not common, but species reach at least 41.3 cm in total length (TL). They inhabit the southern part of the Pacific Ocean at depths of up to 1313 m, and are seen on the slopes of the Norfolk Ridge (think Coral Sea and Tasman Sea). The habitat of these animals is generally not well known, but has been collected on insular slopes.
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Their diets and reproductive methods are unknown, like many of the skates. They are not currently targeted by fisheries nor are they frequently caught as bycatch, and little else is known about these animals or their population health. It is listed as Data Deficient (DD) by the IUCN.

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glossary

• Bycatch: The part of a fishery’s catch that is made up of non-target species.  
• Cloaca: Also called the vent; the opening to their digestive, reproductive and urinary tracts.
• Continental shelf: Extends from a continent underwater, resulting in a shallow-water area.
• Continental slope: The steep slope from a continental shelf to the ocean floor; usually around 20 km (12.4 miles) wide and made up of mud and silt substrate. It is an ideal area for deep sea fishing.
• Disc length (DL): A standard measurement of stingray; disc is slightly longer than it is wide.
• Dorsal side: The top of an animal.​
• Insular slope: The shelf around an island.
• IUCN: International Union for Conservation of Nature.
• Ventral side: Underbelly.

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