''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 rays belonging to the genus '' Mobula'' (formerly its own genus ''Manta''). The larger species, '' M. birostris'', reaches in width, while the smaller, '' M. alfredi'', reaches . Both have triangular pectoral fins, horn-s ...

, 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. 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 is named by

Constantine Samuel Rafinesque Constantine Samuel Rafinesque-Schmaltz (; October 22, 1783September 18, 1840) was a French 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, ultima ...

in 1810 describing the devil fish, ''Raia mobular'' or now ''Mobula mobular''. The name can be explained from

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power ...

''mobilis'' "mobile" or "movable", because of the species' migratory habits; another explanation is that ''mobula'' is a local name used by people living in

Azores ) , motto= ( en, "Rather die free than subjected in peace") , anthem=( en, "Anthem of the Azores") , image_map=Locator_map_of_Azores_in_EU.svg , map_alt=Location of the Azores within the European Union , map_caption=Location of the Azores wi ...

who call this creature there. Based on

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 Augustinian friar worki ...

and, to a lesser degree, morphological evidence, the genus was redefined in 2017. Under this arrangement, '' Manta'' is included in ''Mobula''.

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 r ...

'' ( J. L. G. Krefft, 1868) (reef manta ray) * ''

Mobula birostris The giant oceanic manta ray, giant manta ray, or oceanic manta ray (''Mobula birostris'') is a species of ray in the family Mobulidae, and the largest type of ray in the world. It is circumglobal and is typically found in tropical and subtropica ...

'' ( Walbaum, 1792) (giant oceanic manta ray) * '' Mobula eregoodootenkee'' Bleeker, 1859 (pygmy devil ray) * '' Mobula hypostoma'' Bancroft, 1831 (lesser devil ray) * '' Mobula japanica'' J. P. Müller & Henle, 1841 (spinetail mobula) * '' Mobula kuhlii'' J. P. Müller & Henle, 1841 (shortfin devil ray) * '' Mobula mobular''

Bonnaterre Abbé Pierre Joseph Bonnaterre (1752, Aveyron – 20 September 1804, Saint-Geniez-d'Olt) was a French zoologist who contributed sections on cetaceans, mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians Amphibians are four-limbed and ectothermic ...

, 1788 (devil fish) * '' Mobula munkiana'' Notarbartolo di Sciara, 1987 (Munk's devil ray) * '' Mobula rochebrunei'' Vaillant, 1879 (lesser Guinean devil ray) * '' Mobula tarapacana'' Philippi , 1892 (Chilean devil ray) * ''

Mobula thurstoni The bentfin devil ray (''Mobula thurstoni''), also known as the lesser devil ray, smoothtail devil ray, smoothtail mobula or Thurston's devil ray, is a species of ray in the family Mobulidae. It is found worldwide in tropical, subtropical and wa ...

Lloyd Lloyd, Lloyd's, or Lloyds may refer to: People * Lloyd (name), a variation of the Welsh word ' or ', which means "grey" or "brown" ** List of people with given name Lloyd ** List of people with surname Lloyd * Lloyd (singer) (born 1986), American ...

, 1908 (bentfin devil ray) Extinct species by Shark-References: * ''

Mobula cappettae ''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 ...

'' JONET, 1976 * ''

Mobula fragilis ''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 ...

'' (CAPPETTA, 1970) * ''

Mobula lorenzolizanoi ''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 ...

'' LAURITO MORA, 1999 * ''

Mobula loupianensis ''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 o ...

'' CAPPETTA, 1970 * ''

Mobula melanyae ''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 ...

'' (CASE, 1980) * ''

Mobula pectinata ''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 ...

'' CAPPETTA, 1970

Gallery

Image:Mobula shoal.jpg, School in Mexico

References

External links

Videos and information about several Mobula species
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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 worl ...

.org {{Taxonbar, from=Q843653 Extant Rupelian first appearances Ray genera Taxa named by Constantine Samuel Rafinesque Rupelian genus first appearances

Taxonomy

Gallery

See also

References

External links