Mobula thurstoni | fishIDER

Elasmobranchii Mobulidae Mobula thurstoni

Bentfin devilray

Characteristic features:

Colour:

Dorsal surface dark bluish back to black with purplish hues. Dorsal fin with distinct white tip, becoming faint in adults. Ventral surface mostly white, pectoral fin tips silver, a blackish margin along anterior disc becoming broad and distinctive at curved area of pectoral fin.

Size:

Up to 189 cm DW; born at 65–85 cm DW.

Distribution:

Probably circumglobal in tropical and subtropical waters.

Habitat:

Pelagic, mainly coastal, in waters less than 100 m deep.

Biology:

Feeds primarily on euphausid and mysid shrimp. Females are mature by 154 cm DW, and males by 150–154 cm DW. Gestation period estimated to be 12 months.

Similar species:

Mobula mobular
Japanese devilray, giant devilray

Mobula mobular differs in having a straight anterior pectoral fin margin (vs. anterior pectoral fin margin concaved); spiracles slit like (vs. circular) and spiracles located on dorsal surface of head (vs. located below pectoral fin origins).

to Mobula mobular

External links:

FishBase
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species^TM