Stomach contents and notes on the reproduction of the Onefin Skate Gurgesiella dorsalifera (Chondrichthyes: Rajidae) off Southern Brazil

Abstract

The Brazilian endemic deep-water onefin skate (Gurgesiella dorsalifera) is a rare small species recently described in the 80's. No biological information is available on this species and its extremely restricted geographic distribution has been used to classify it as a vulnerable species under IUCN red list criteria. Twenty four specimens (115 to 207 mm disc width) were captured off southern Brazilian coast at the region of Cape Santa Marta Grande (State of Santa Catarina) by deep-water otter trawl (430-524 m). The analysis of stomach contents revealed an apparent opportunistic predation on juveniles of Urophycis brasiliensis (IRI = 6944), with an average total length of 21 mm, followed by mysidaceans (IRI = 2938), unidentified teleosts (IRI = 1969), the copepod Bradyidius plinioi (IRI = 393), and decapod crustaceans (IRI = 297). One mature female with 207 mm DW had two egg cases in its uteri. Copyright © 2008 Sociedade Brasileira de Ictiologia.