Species: Mobula mobular, Spinetail Devil Ray

Mobula mobular (Bonaterre, 1788)

Spinetail Devil Ray

Disc strongly rhomboidal, much wider than long; wings strongly pointed, their front edge straight to slightly convex; head wide, projecting from disc; pectoral fins extend along head and form two large soft horns; front margin of pectoral fin ends under slit-like spiracle; a short keel present over the spiracle; eyes and spiracles on side of head; mouth ventral; teeth on both jaws; length of tooth bands ~ 75% of mouth width; teeth long, twice as long as wide, scattered; filter plates of gills with 18-31 side lobes, last lobe leaf shaped, plates separate at tips; tail with small, curved dorsal fin at base long, ~=/> disc width, slender, =/> disc width, its base oval, with 1 short, serrated spine, plus a row of soft tubercles along each side; dense denticles on upper surface of body.

Upper surface dark blue, lighter around the dark band between eyes; a conspicuous broad black band on back behind eyes (disappears in death); white of underside reaches up behind and above eye, visible from above; dark inside mouth; lower surface white; dorsal fin black with white tip; tubercles on sides of tail white.

Size: 350 cm wide.

Habitat: pelagic in coastal and oceanic waters.

Depth: 0-1112 m.

Circumtropical; the northeastern USA to Brazil

Note: Mobula japanica is a synonym.