''Mobula'' is a genus of
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
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'', reac ...
, which are in the same family, and based on
genetic and
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 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 known about the devil rays, much of it anecdotal; the manta rays are better known.
Most species entirely lack a tail ]stinger
A stinger (or sting) is a sharp organ found in various animals (typically insects and other arthropods) capable of injecting venom, usually by piercing the epidermis of another animal.
An insect sting is complicated by its introduction of ve ...
. In most species having a stinger, it is encased, rendering it harmless; only ''M. mobular'' has a "free" stinger.[
]
Taxonomy
The genus was named by Constantine Samuel Rafinesque
Constantine Samuel Rafinesque-Schmaltz (; 22 October 178318 September 1840) was a French early 19th-century polymath born near Constantinople in the Ottoman Empire and self-educated in France. He traveled as a young man in the United States, ult ...
in 1810 describing the 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 c ...
, ''Raia mobular'' or now ''Mobula mobular''. The name can be explained from Latin
Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...
''mobilis'' "mobile" or "movable", because of the species' migratory habits;Azores
The Azores ( , , ; , ), officially the Autonomous Region of the Azores (), is one of the two autonomous regions of Portugal (along with Madeira). It is an archipelago composed of nine volcanic islands in the Macaronesia region of the North Atl ...
who call this creature there.genetics
Genetics is the study of genes, genetic variation, and heredity in organisms.Hartl D, Jones E (2005) It is an important branch in biology because heredity is vital to organisms' evolution. Gregor Mendel, a Moravian Augustinians, Augustinian ...
and, to a lesser degree, morphological evidence, the genus was redefined in 2017. Under this arrangement, ''Manta
Manta or mantas may refer to:
* Manta ray, large fish belonging to the genus ''Mobula''
Arts and entertainment App & Website
* Manta (platform), a Korean digital comics provider
Fictional entities
* Manta (comics), a character in American Marve ...
'' is included in ''Mobula''.[
]
Species
FishBase
FishBase is a global species database of fish species (specifically finfish). It is the largest and most extensively accessed online database on adult finfish on the web. recognizes 11 species:[
* '']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 ...
'' ( J. L. G. Krefft, 1868) (reef manta ray)
* '' Mobula birostris'' ( Walbaum, 1792) (giant oceanic manta ray)
* ''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 Ph ...
'' Bleeker, 1859 (pygmy devil ray)
* ''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.
...
'' Bancroft, 1831 (lesser devil ray)
* ''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 appear ...
'' J. P. Müller & Henle, 1841 (spinetail mobula)
* ''Mobula kuhlii
''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 Ph ...
'' J. P. Müller & Henle, 1841 (shortfin devil ray)
* ''Mobula mobular
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 c ...
'' Bonnaterre, 1788 (devil fish)
* ''Mobula munkiana
''Mobula munkiana'', commonly known as the manta de monk, Munk's devil ray, pygmy devil ray, smoothtail mobula, or Munk’s pygmy devil ray, is a species of Batoidea, ray in the family Mobulidae. They are commonly mistaken for their close relativ ...
'' Notarbartolo di Sciara, 1987 (Munk's devil ray)
* ''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.
...
'' Vaillant, 1879 (lesser Guinean devil ray)
* ''Mobula tarapacana
The Chilean devil ray (''Mobula tarapacana''), also known as the box ray, greater Guinean mobula, sicklefin devil ray or the spiny mobula, is a species of ray in the family Mobulidae. It is often observed worldwide, basking just below the surfa ...
'' Philippi , 1892 (Chilean devil ray)
* '' Mobula thurstoni'' Lloyd, 1908 (bentfin devil ray)
Extinct species by Shark-References:
See also
* List of prehistoric cartilaginous fish
This list of prehistoric cartilaginous fish genera is an attempt to create a comprehensive listing of all Genus, genera that have ever been included in the class chondrichthyes ''and'' are known from the fossil record. This list excludes purely v ...
References
External links
Videos and information about several Mobula species
— ARKive
ARKive was a global initiative with the mission of "promoting the conservation of the world's threatened species, through the power of wildlife imagery", which it did by locating and gathering films, photographs and audio recordings of the wor ...
.org
{{Taxonbar, from=Q843653
Extant Rupelian first appearances
Ray genera
Taxa named by Constantine Samuel Rafinesque
Rupelian genus first appearances