Brochiraja aenigma Last & McEachran, 2006
Accepted species in Catalogue of Life’s 11 September 2026 base release. This preserves the source classification and available supporting data; it is not a completed species monograph.
Open encyclopedia reference
Brochiraja aenigma, also known as the Enigma skate, is a skate known from a single specimen recently identified in 2006. Based on the single specimen, its range includes at least the Wanganella Bank on the Norfolk Ridge. It is rare with further searches finding no specimens, and while it is not commonly fished or reported in commercial distribution, it can be used for fish meal.
Due to the limited knowledge of its biology and extent of capture in fisheries, this species is assessed as Data Deficient by the IUCN.
Wikipedia contributors, Brochiraja aenigma; see linked history · CC BY-SA 4.0 . Plain-text lead excerpt, at most 180 words; no infobox or later sections Retrieved 2026-10-05T19:12:09.096316+00:00. This reference remains separate from the taxonomic record.
Identity & source status
- Scientific name
- Brochiraja aenigma Last & McEachran, 2006
- Name authority
- Last & McEachran, 2006
- Rank
- species
- Accepted status
- accepted
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Elasmobranchii
- Order
- Rajiformes
- Family
- Arhynchobatidae
- Genus
- Brochiraja
- Extinction status
- Not supplied by this source
Source habitat flags: Marine: yes · Freshwater: no · Terrestrial: no. These do not form a complete habitat description.
Classification family tree
Nested taxonomic groups from the source. This is not a direct-ancestor chain, a dated evolutionary tree or a phylogenetic reconstruction.
- domainEukaryota (Chatton, 1925) Whittaker & Margulis, 1978
- kingdomAnimalia
- phylumChordata
- subphylumVertebrata
- infraphylumGnathostomata
- parvphylumChondrichthyes
- classElasmobranchii
- subclassNeoselachii
- infraclassBatoidea
- orderRajiformes Berg, 1940
- familyArhynchobatidae Fowler, 1934
- genusBrochiraja Last & McEachran, 2006
- speciesBrochiraja aenigma Last & McEachran, 2006
Close classified relatives
These entries share the source’s genus, Brochiraja. They are not necessarily the closest relatives established by molecular evidence.
| Species | Classification | Source status |
|---|---|---|
| Brochiraja heuresa Last & Séret, 2012 | ArhynchobatidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Brochiraja albilabiata Last & McEachran, 2006 | ArhynchobatidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Brochiraja leviveneta Last & McEachran, 2006 | ArhynchobatidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Brochiraja microspinifera Last & McEachran, 2006 | ArhynchobatidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
Source literature & publication evidence
References attached to this source record, including nomenclatural citations where supplied. This is a selected bibliography; abbreviated citations remain in the source’s form.
- Last, P. R., & McEachran, J. D. (2006). New softnose skate genus Brochiraja from New Zealand (Rajidae: Arhynchobatinae) with description of four new species. N. Z. J. Mar. Freshwater Res., 40. https://doi.org/10.1080/00288330.2006.9517404 Source fields: Taxon.tsv dwc:namePublishedIn, Taxon.tsv dcterms:references
Origins, evidence & remaining research
Name authority and publication references document nomenclature where the source supplies it. They do not establish evolutionary origins or the earliest fossil occurrence.
Specimen-level evidence, morphology, ecological research, phylogenetic studies, a comprehensive bibliography and a located literary passage have not yet been compiled for this record. A suitable sourced image remains to be added.
Dataset citation & attribution
This exact taxon in ChecklistBank · Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11
Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11; dataset 316321; doi:10.48580/dgz5n. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ . Retrieved 5 October 2026.
Stable key: col:NC7B. Classification follows source parent identifiers. English common names may vary by region.