Amblyraja badia (Garman, 1899)

David A. Ebert & Chante D. Davis, 2007, Descriptions of skate egg cases (Chondrichthyes: Rajiformes: Rajoidei) from the eastern North Pacific., Zootaxa 1393, pp. 1-18 : 16

[[ Amblyraja badia (Garman, 1899) ?? ]]

Unidentified deepsea skate egg case “B”

Description: The egg cases of this unidentified species (Figure 13a) are large, 96 to 103 mm in length, with MAW about 79-82% of ECL. The surface is finely striated, smooth to the touch, and without a fibrous outer layer. The LKW is very broad, about 12-14% of MAW, and extending length of case, tapering off along outer edge of horns. Attachment fibers are absent. Anterior apron border broad and concave, anterior horns curling ventrally, becoming flattened and hook-like towards tips, horn length about 47-54% of ECL. Posterior apron border nearly straight, broad, transverse, thinning along edge, and about similar in width to anterior apron. Posterior horns relatively long, 87-96% of ECL, flattening to a filamentous tip. Color in situ is a dark brown on the egg case proper, but becoming lighter along lateral keel and aprons (Figure 13b).

Remarks: Three examples of these large unidentified skate egg cases were collected by MBARI ROV Tiburon on the Davidson Seamount, an inactive submarine volcano located approximately 120 km southwest of Monterey, California at a depth of between 1,310 and 1,319 m (Figure 13b). These three egg cases, collected on two separate dives, were on each occasion found to be nested near deepsea corals and gorgonians in apparent nursery areas as numerous additional egg cases were observed on each dive where they were collected(Figure 13c). One of the egg cases, upon dissection, was found to contain a small developing embryo of an unknown species of skate. A female A. badia was observed swimming in the vicinity of where these egg cases were collected.

Material examined: Three egg cases collected by MBARI remote operated vehicle Tiburon in situ; CAS 224346, Davidson Seamount, California (35.721136° N, - 122.723585° W), 1312 m, 27 January 2006 . CAS 224347, Davidson Seamount, California (35.72134° N, - 122.723467° W), 1310 m, 27 January 2006 . CAS 224348, Davidson Seamount, California (35° 43.5688 N, 122° 43.6120 W), 1319 m, bottom temperature 2.9 °C, 18 May 2002 .