How to Identify Lesser Devil Ray

To identify Lesser Devil Ray (Mobula hypostoma), look at these key features.

Physical Characteristics

Body shape

flat

Coloration

Dorsal surface is typically dark grey to black, sometimes with a bluish sheen. The ventral surface is white, often with dusky margins on the pectoral fins and sometimes a dark blotch between the gill slits. The tips of the cephalic fins are usually dark.

Scale type

placoid

Mouth position

subterminal

Distinctive features

Relatively small size for a mobulid ray, with disc width typically not exceeding 1.2 meters (4 feet), though larger individuals up to 1.6 meters (5.2 feet) have been reported., Prominent, forward-projecting cephalic fins that are used to funnel plankton into the mouth., A small dorsal fin located at the base of the tail., A short, whip-like tail that lacks a caudal spine (sting)., Mouth is subterminal, located on the ventral side of the head.

Dorsal fin

Small, triangular, located at the base of the tail.

Tail fin

Short, whip-like, without a caudal spine.

Pectoral fin

Large, wing-like, forming the main body disc.

Distinctive fins

Cephalic fins are prominent, horn-like, and project forward from the head.

Identification Tips

1. 1

   Size

   Smaller than other mobulid rays, typically under 1.6 meters (5.2 feet) disc width.

2. 2

   Cephalic Fins

   Prominent, forward-projecting, and often dark-tipped. They are distinct from the 'horns' of manta rays which are more paddle-like.

3. 3

   Mouth Position

   Subterminal (on the underside of the head), unlike manta rays which have a terminal mouth.

4. 4

   Tail

   Short and lacks a stinging spine, differentiating it from many other batoids.

5. 5

   Coloration

   Dark dorsal, white ventral, often with dusky pectoral fin margins and sometimes a dark blotch between the gill slits.

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