Mobula thurstoni (Bentfin devilray)

(Lloyd, 1908)

Life > Eukaryotes > Opisthokonta > Metazoa (animals) > Bilateria > Deuterostomia > Chordata > Craniata > Vertebrata (vertebrates)  > Gnathostomata (jawed vertebrates) > Chondrichthyes > Elasmobranchii > Batoidei >  Myliobatoidei >  Mobulidae

Mobula thurstoni (Bentfin devilray) [Illustration by Ann Hecht ©]

Identification

A moderate-sized short-headed devilray with short head fins, subterminal mouth, a white-tipped dorsal fin, pectoral disk with swept-back tips having a prominent double bend to their front margins and upper disk sparsely covered with small, blunt denticles. Tail shorter than disk and without a sting. Colour dark blue to black above, underside white medially, silvery on pectoral fin tips.

Size

To 1.8 m DW.

Range

East coast, Algoa Bay, one found dead on a beach, also off Natal; circumtropical.

Habitat

Pelagic and coastal.

Biology

Eats small pelagic crustaceans. Bears one young.

Human Impact

Caught in the Natal shark nets.

Text by Leonard J.V. Compagno, David A. Ebert and Malcolm J. Smale