Mobula tarapacana

Elasmobranchii Mobulidae Mobula tarapacana
Sicklefin Devilray
Characteristic features:
Colour:

Dorsal surfaces uniform greyish green to greyish brown. Dorsal fin plain, without a white tip. Ventral surfaces whitish anteriorly, pale greyish posteriorly.

Size:

Attains at least 328 cm DW; born at 105–139 cm.

Distribution:

Probably circumglobal in all tropical waters, but known from scattered localities.

Habitat:

An uncommon coastal inshore and offshore pelagic species.

Biology:

Feeds primarily on small fishes, and to a lesser extent on planktonic crustacea; gill filter plates have a larger mesh size than other devilrays, possibly indicating a larger prey source. Males mature at 234–252 cm. Viviparous, with histotrophy; probably giving birth to only a single pup.

Indonesian fisheries:

Commonly caught in tuna gillnet and in harpoon fisheries. Utilised for its gill filter plates (very high value), meat, cartilage and skin.

Similar species:

Mobula mobular
Japanese devilray, giant devilray

Mobula japanica

 

Mobula mobular differs in having no distinctive ridge along the dorsal midline (vs. a distinctive bony ridge present) and dorsal surface bluish black with 2 crescentic white patches on shoulders (vs. dorsal surface uniformly grey).

to Mobula mobular
External links:

FishBase
The IUCN Red List of Threatened SpeciesTM