Mobula

Mobula
Temporal range: 34–0 Ma

Early Oligocene to Present[1]

Mobula sp breaching, Baja California
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Chondrichthyes
Subclass: Elasmobranchii
Superorder: Batoidea
Order: Myliobatiformes
Family: Mobulidae
Genus: Mobula
Rafinesque, 1810

Mobula is a genus of ray in the family Mobulidae found worldwide in tropical and warm temperate seas.[2] Some authorities consider this to be a subfamily of family Myliobatidae (eagle rays).[3][4] Their appearance is similar to that of manta rays, 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).[2] 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. Depending on the exact species, the devil rays can attain disc widths of up to 1.1–5.2 m (3.6–17.1 ft), the largest being second only to the manta rays in size, which can reach 5.5–7 m (18–23 ft).[2] Despite their size, little is known about the devil rays, much of it being from anecdotal accounts, whereas the manta rays are better-known. Most species entirely lack a tail stinger or it is encased (rendering it harmless); only M. mobular has a free stinger.[2]

Taxonomy

FishBase recognizes nine species:[4]

Based on genetic and to a lesser degree morphological evidence, the genus was redefined in 2017. Under this arrangement, Manta is included in Mobula:[2]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Sepkoski, Jack (2002). "A compendium of fossil marine animal genera (Chondrichthyes entry)". Bulletins of American Paleontology. 364: 560. Retrieved 2008-01-09.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 White; Corrigan; Yang; Henderson; Bazinet; Swofford; and Naylor (2017). "Phylogeny of the manta and devilrays (Chondrichthyes: mobulidae), with an updated taxonomic arrangement for the family". Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society: zlx018. doi:10.1093/zoolinnean/zlx018.
  3. ↑ Nelson, J.S. (2006). Fishes of the World (4 ed.). John Wiley & Sons.
  4. 1 2 Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2017). Species of Mobula in FishBase. July 2017 version.
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