Mobula
sabula Temporal range: 34–0 Ma PreЄ Є O S D C P T J K Pg N | |
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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 rays in the family Mobulidae found worldwide in tropical and warm, temperate seas.[2] Some authorities consider this to be a subfamily of the 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 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 5.5–7.0 m (18.0–23.0 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]
Contents
1 Taxonomy
2 Gallery
3 See also
4 References
5 External links
Taxonomy
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]
FishBase recognizes eleven species:[4]
Mobula alfredi (J. L. G. Krefft, 1868) (reef manta ray)
Mobula birostris (Walbaum, 1792) (giant oceanic manta ray)
Mobula eregoodootenkee Bleeker, 1859 (pygmy devil ray)
Mobula hypostoma Bancroft, 1831 (lesser devil ray)
Mobula japanica J. P. Müller & Henle, 1841 (spinetail mobula)
Mobula kuhlii J. P. Müller & Henle, 1841 (shortfin devil ray)
Mobula mobular Bonnaterre, 1788 (devil fish)
Mobula munkiana Notarbartolo di Sciara, 1987 (Munk's devil ray)
Mobula rochebrunei Vaillant, 1879 (lesser Guinean devil ray)
Mobula tarapacana Philippi {Krumweide}, 1892 (Chilean devil ray)
Mobula thurstoni Lloyd, 1908 (bentfin devil ray)
Gallery
School in Mexico
See also
- List of prehistoric cartilaginous fish
References
^ Sepkoski, Jack (2002). "A compendium of fossil marine animal genera (Chondrichthyes entry)". Bulletins of American Paleontology. 364: 560. Archived from the original on 2012-05-10. Retrieved 2008-01-09..mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"""""""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Lock-green.svg/9px-Lock-green.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-gray-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-red-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration{color:#555}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription span,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration span{border-bottom:1px dotted;cursor:help}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/12px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output code.cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:inherit;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#33aa33;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration,.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-right{padding-right:0.2em}
^ abcde White; Corrigan; Yang; Henderson; Bazinet; Swofford; 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.
^ Nelson, J.S. (2006). Fishes of the World (4 ed.). John Wiley & Sons.
^ ab Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2017). Species of Mobula in FishBase. July 2017 version.
External links
Photo gallery of Mobulas — photographer: Michael Albert
Videos and information about several Mobula species — ARKive.org
