Species: Rajella purpuriventralis, Purplebottom smallskate

Rajella purpuriventralis  Bigelow & Schroeder, 1962

Purplebottom smallskate

Disc heart shaped, 1.08X wider than long, front edges relatively straight, the outer corners broadly rounded;  pectorals fused to disc from head back to insertion of pelvic fins, their skeletal supports end distinctly before tip of snout; snout relatively long, pointed, stiff,  length before eyes 15% TL; rostral cartilage solid and stiff to tip of snout;  tail with moderately narrow base, long, gradually tapering, length 53% TL, with narrow side folds from just in front of 1st dorsal fin to end of tail, 2 dorsal fins similar in size & shape, confluent, tail fin short, low dorsal lobe; pelvic fins consist of 2 lobes completely separated by a notch, front lobe 80% of length of rear lobe; thorns: 1 before eye & 2 behind, a row of 40-43 (1st 3 largest) along center of back from nape to 1st dorsal fin, a triangle of 3 on each shoulder, and an irregular row along front 2/3 of each side of tail; upper surface of disc & tail, including dorsal fins and tops of eyes uniformly & densely covered with small denticles; lower surface: free of denticles, except tail with denticles along edges in central part, and along all of rear part of tail.

Top surface purplish black; lower surface purplish black, paler around mouth and rear of nasal curtain.

Reaches 51 cm.

Lives on soft bottoms

Depth range 730-2577 m.

The Gulf of Mexico to Suriname