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Mobula
''Mobula'' is a genus of Batoidea, rays in the family Mobulidae that is found worldwide in tropical and warm, temperate seas. Some authorities consider this to be a subfamily of the Myliobatidae (eagle rays). Their appearance is similar to that of manta rays, which are in the same family, and based on Genetics, genetic and Morphology (biology), morphological evidence, the mantas belong in ''Mobula'' (they are traditionally in their own genus ''Manta''). Species of this genus are often collectively referred to as "devil rays", "flying mobula", or simply "flying rays", due to their propensity for Whale surfacing behaviour, breaching, sometimes in a spectacular manner. These rays gather in groups and leap out of the surface into the air up to around two metres before splashing back into the water. Description Depending on the species, the devil rays can attain widths up to , the largest being second only to the manta rays in size, which can reach . Despite their size, little is ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Manta Ray
Manta rays are large Batoidea, rays belonging to the genus ''Mobula'' (formerly its own genus ''Manta''). The larger species, ''Giant oceanic manta ray, M. birostris'', reaches in width, while the smaller, ''Reef manta ray, M. alfredi'', reaches . Both have triangular Pectoral fin#AnchPectoral, pectoral fins, horn-shaped cephalic fins and large, forward-facing mouths. They are classified among the Myliobatiformes (stingrays and relatives) and are placed in the Family (biology), family Eagle ray, Myliobatidae (eagle rays). They have the largest brain-to-body ratio of all fish, and can pass the mirror test. Mantas are found in warm temperate, subtropical and tropical waters. Both species are Pelagic fish, pelagic; ''M. birostris'' Animal migration, migrates across open oceans, singly or in groups, while ''M. alfredi'' tends to be resident and coastal. They are filter feeders and eat large quantities of zooplankton, which they gather with their open mouths as they swim. However, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Devil Fish
The devil fish or giant devil ray (''Mobula mobular'') is a species of ray in the family Mobulidae. It is currently listed as endangered, mostly due to bycatch mortality in unrelated fisheries. Description The devil fish is larger than its close relative the lesser devil ray. It grows to a length of disk , making it one of the largest rays. It possesses a spiny tail. The devil fish is the third largest species in the genus ''Mobula'', after the oceanic and reef manta rays. It is the only mobulid species that lives in the Mediterranean Sea. The species has been observed to have a maximum recorded length of disk width of 5.2 meters (roughly 17 feet). However, those data are unreliable and are allegedly misunderstood as giant oceanic manta rays that have strayed into the Mediterranean. It is also considered to be the only devil fish with a tail spine. Distribution and habitat The devil fish is most common in the Mediterranean Sea. It is also found in the Eastern Atlantic Ocean ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mobula Hypostoma
The lesser devil ray (''Mobula hypostoma'') is a species of devil ray in the family Mobulidae. Habitat These rays live in shallow, warm waters and can be found in shoals of up to 40 individuals, although more often ranging between 2 and 10. They occur along the coasts of the western Atlantic, from North Carolina to northern Argentina. The related ''Mobula rochebrunei The lesser devil ray (''Mobula hypostoma'') is a species of devil ray in the family Mobulidae. Habitat These rays live in shallow, warm waters and can be found in shoals of up to 40 individuals, although more often ranging between 2 and 10. ...'' has occasionally been recovered as a junior synonym of ''M. hypostoma'', extending the species' range to the eastern Atlantic.White, W.T., Corrigan, S., Yang, S., Henderson, A.C., Bazinet, A.L., Swofford, D.L. and Naylor, G.J.P. 2017. Phylogeny of the manta and devilrays (Chondrichthyes, mobulidae) with an updated taxonomic arrangement for the family. Zoological ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mobula Japanica
The spinetail mobula (''Mobula japanica''), also known as the spinetail devil ray or Japanese mobula ray, is a species of pelagic marine fish which belongs to the family Mobulidae. The spinetail mobula gets its name due to its devil like appearance from the "horns" on its head and the unique spines on its tail. Generally, these rays love to be mobile and show off their aerial acrobatics. ''M. japanica'' can be found throughout the tropical and sub-tropical waters of the Indo-Pacific and eastern Atlantic Ocean. Taxonomy ''Mobula japanica'' falls under the order Myliobatiformes and family Mobulidae. The Mobulidae family is a family of rays, manta rays and devilfish specifically, consisting of 11 species. The IUCN suggests that the species should be considered conspecific with the devil fish (''Mobula mobular'') Due to its low population growth and low reproduction rates, there isn't much variability or "branch off" species from ''M. japanica''. Recently, a study found no genetic ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mobula Alfredi
The reef manta ray (''Mobula alfredi'') is a species of ray in the family Mobulidae, one of the largest rays in the world. Among generally recognized species, it is the second-largest species of ray, only surpassed by the giant oceanic manta ray. The species was described in 1868 by Gerard Krefft, the director of the Australian Museum. He named it ''M. alfredi'' in honor of Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, the first member of the British royal family to visit Australia. It was originally described as part of the genus ''Manta'' but in 2017 was changed, along with the rest of the mantas, to be included as part of the genus ''Mobula''. Reef manta rays are typically in disc width, with a maximum size of about . For a long time included in '' M. birostris'', the status of the reef manta ray as a separate species was only confirmed in 2009. The reef manta ray is found widely in the tropical and subtropical Indo-Pacific, but with a few records from the tropical East Atlantic and none ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mobula Eregoodootenkee
''Mobula kuhlii'', the shortfin devil ray, is a species of ray in the family Mobulidae. It is endemic to the Indian Ocean and central-west Pacific Ocean. It ranges from South Africa, Mozambique, Tanzania and the Seychelles in the west to the Philippines and Indonesia in the east, and southward to the northern coast of Australia. Description The shortfin devil ray is a small eagle ray growing to a maximum width of and a weight of . It is flattened horizontally with a wide central disc and the head is short with small cephalic fins. The large pectoral fins have curved tips and the dorsal fin has a white tip. The tail is not tipped with a spine and is shorter than the body. The dorsal surface of this fish is brown and does not bear any placoid scales, and the ventral surface is white. Biology The shortfin devil ray feeds on plankton and possibly also on small fish and squid. It gathers its food by swimming with its mouth open and passing the water over its gill rakers which filte ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mobulidae
The Mobulidae (manta rays and devilfishes) are a family of rays consisting mostly of large species living in the open ocean rather than on the sea bottom. Taxonomy The Mobulidae have been variously considered a subfamily of the Myliobatidae by some authors, and a distinct family by others, but recent work favors the latter. Two genera have been traditionally recognized, ''Manta'' and ''Mobula'', but recent DNA analysis shows that ''Mobula'' as traditionally recognized is paraphyletic to manta rays, making ''Manta'' a junior synonym of ''Mobula'' and ''Mobula'' the only extant genus of the family. Fossil record Several genera of fossil A fossil (from Classical Latin , ) is any preserved remains, impression, or trace of any once-living thing from a past geological age. Examples include bones, shells, exoskeletons, stone imprints of animals or microbes, objects preserve ... mobulids are known, including '' Archaeomanta'', '' Burnhamia'', '' Eomobula'', and '' Paramobul ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Batoidea
Batomorphi is a Division (taxonomy), division of Chondrichthyes, cartilaginous fishes, commonly known as rays, this taxon is also known as the Order (biology), superorder Batoidea, but the 5th edition of ''Fishes of the World'' classifies it as the division Batomorphi. They and their close relatives, the sharks, compose the subclass Elasmobranchii. Rays are the largest group of cartilaginous fishes, with well over 600 species in 26 families. Rays are distinguished by their flattened bodies, enlarged pectoral fins that are fused to the head, and gill slits that are placed on their ventral surfaces. Anatomy Batomorphs are flat-bodied, and, like sharks, are cartilaginous fish, meaning they have a boneless skeleton made of a tough, elastic cartilage. Most batomorphs have five ventral slot-like body openings called gill slits that lead from the gills, but the Hexatrygonidae have six. Batomorph gill slits lie under the pectoral fins on the underside, whereas a shark's are on the sides ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Whale Surfacing Behaviour
Cetacean surfacing behaviour is a grouping of movement types that cetaceans make at the water's surface in addition to breathing. Cetaceans have developed and use surface behaviours for many functions such as display, feeding and communication. All regularly observed members of the order Cetacea, including whales, dolphins and porpoises, show a range of surfacing behaviours. Cetacea is usually split into two suborders, Odontoceti and Mysticeti, based on the presence of teeth or baleen plates in adults respectively. However, when considering behaviour, Cetacea can be split into whales (cetaceans more than 10 m long such as sperm and most baleen whales) and dolphins and porpoises (all Odontocetes less than 10 m long including orca tp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/009/t0725e/t0725e10.pdf FAO Marine Mammals of the World, Suborder Odontoceti.) as many behaviours are correlated with size. Although some behaviours such as spyhopping, logging and lobtailing occur in both groups, others such ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
