Record of an encapsulated embryo of Bathyraja brachyurops captured by bottom trawl off Uruguay, South-West Atlantic ocean

Abstract

In this note the occurrence of an encapsulated embryo of Bathyraja brachyurops is reported. The embryo was in advanced stage of development. The capsule was collected after a bottom trawl operation, in the Argentinean-Uruguayan Common Fishing Zone, Southwest Atlantic, in September of 2000. After collection, the egg capsule was fixed in formalin 10% and preserved in ethanol 70%. The egg capsule was dark brown and measured 79.0 mm in length and 46.0 cm in width and was opened at its posterior. The embryo was a 100.0 mm total length female with a mass was 5.5 g. The specimen was in advanced development but the yolk sac was still conspicuous. According to the size of the yolk sac and the presence of caudal filament it could be concluded that there were several weeks to go before hatching.