Morphology Data of Mobula alfredi
Identification keys
Abnormalities
Main Ref. Marshall, A.D., L.J.V. Compagno and M.B. Bennett, 2009
Appearance refers to Male; Female
Bones in OsteoBase

Sex attributes

Specialized organs claspers (m)
Different appearance
Different colors
Remarks Mature females are larger than mature males. Females are deemed mature by evident mating scars (black-and-white marks) on their wing (Ref. 126711).

Descriptive characteristics of juvenile and adult

Striking features
Body shape lateral other
Cross section
Dorsal head profile
Type of eyes
Type of mouth/snout
Position of mouth
Type of scales placoid scales
Diagnosis

This species is characterized by the following: disc approximately 2.2-2.4 times as broad as it is long, the maximum disc width size approximately 550 cm; slender whip-like tail approximately 123% of disc length if intact; no distinct caudal spine or cartilaginous mass at base of tail; some specimens have small hump at the base of the tail on the dorsal surface, while others have a slight depression and groove on the dorsum of the tail immediately posterior to the posterior margin of the dorsal fin; small, knob-like dermal denticles evenly distributed on both the dorsal and ventral surfaces, with ventral surface having slightly larger denticles; dental ligament with small cusped teeth on the lower jaw measuring roughly 22% of total disc length, approximately 6-8 rows, 142-182 files across entire width of the tooth band; total tooth counts of 900-1500 for entire tooth band; top jaw lacks rows of enlarged denticles (Ref. 82755).

Ease of Identification

Meristic characteristics of Mobula alfredi

Lateral Lines Interrupted: No
Scales on lateral line
Pored lateral line scales
Scales in lateral series
Scale rows above lateral line
Scale rows below lateral line
Scales around caudal peduncle
Barbels
Gill clefts (sharks/rays only)
Gill rakers
on lower limb
on upper limb
total
Vertebrae
preanal
total

Fins

Dorsal fin(s)

Attributes
Fins number
Finlets No. Dorsal   
Ventral  
Spines total
Soft-rays total
Adipose fin

Caudal fin

Attributes

Anal fin(s)

Fins number
Spines total
Soft-rays total

Paired fins

Pectoral Attributes  
Spines     
Soft-rays   
Pelvics Attributes  
Position    
Spines     
Soft-rays   
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