You can sponsor this page

Mobula thurstoni (Lloyd, 1908)

Smoothtail mobula
Add your observation in Fish Watcher
Native range | All suitable habitat | Point map | Year 2050
This map was computer-generated and has not yet been reviewed.
Mobula thurstoni   AquaMaps   Data sources: GBIF OBIS
Upload your photos and videos
 Pictures | Videos | Google image
Image of Mobula thurstoni (Smoothtail mobula)
Mobula thurstoni
Picture by Notarbartolo di Sciara, G.

Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa

Elasmobranchii (sharks and rays) > Myliobatiformes (Stingrays) > Mobulidae (Devilrays)
Etymology:

Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecology

Marine; pelagic-oceanic; depth range 0 - 100 m (Ref. 12951). Subtropical; 38°N - 34°S

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri

Circumglobal in tropical seas. Indian Ocean: off South Africa, Bay of Bengal, and probably Indonesia (Ref. 9911). Eastern Central Pacific: From Gulf of California to Chile (Ref. 130539).

Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: Lm 163.6, range 146 - ? cm
Max length : 220 cm WD male/unsexed; (Ref. 2850); common length : 150 cm WD male/unsexed; (Ref. 9256)

Short description Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics

A moderate-sized devilray with a short head bearing short head fins; dorsal fin white-tipped, and pectoral fins with swept-back tips and a prominent double bend to the front margins; upper disc sparsely covered with small, blunt denticles and tail shorter than disc, with no spine (Ref. 5578). Dark blue to black above; white below, with silvery pectoral fin tips (Ref. 5578). No caudal fin (Ref. 5578).

Biology     Glossary (e.g. epibenthic)

Occurs in coastal and oceanic waters, but more common near the coast (Ref. 9256). Found singly or in small groups (Ref. 12951). Feeds mainly on planktonic crustaceans (Ref. 12951); mostly small shrimp-like animals (Ref.58048). Ovoviviparous (Ref. 50449). Caught occasionally in the tuna gillnet and in harpoon fisheries. Utilized for its gill filter plates (high value), meat, cartilage and skin (Ref.58048). Can leap out of the water.

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturities | Reproduction | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | Larvae

Exhibit ovoviparity (aplacental viviparity), with embryos feeding initially on yolk, then receiving additional nourishment from the mother by indirect absorption of uterine fluid enriched with mucus, fat or protein through specialised structures (Ref. 50449). With one large offspring per gestation period. Size at birth 65-85 cm (Ref. 6871).

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator | Collaborators

Last, P.R. and J.D. Stevens, 1994. Sharks and rays of Australia. CSIRO, Australia. 513 p. (Ref. 6871)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)

  Endangered (EN) (A2bd+3d); Date assessed: 09 November 2018

CITES

Appendix II: International trade monitored

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Appendix I & II: Endangered migratory species conserved through agreements

Threat to humans

  Harmless





Human uses

Fisheries: minor commercial
FAO - Publication: search | FishSource |

More information

Trophic ecology
Food items
Diet compositions
Food consumptions
Food rations
Predators
Ecology
Ecology
Population dynamics
Growths
Max. ages / sizes
Length-weight rel.
Length-length rel.
Length-frequencies
Mass conversions
Recruitments
Abundances
Life cycle
Reproduction
Maturities
Fecundities
Spawnings
Spawning aggregations
Egg(s)
Egg developments
Larvae
Larval dynamics
Distribution
Countries
FAO areas
Ecosystems
Occurrences
Introductions
BRUVS - Videos
Anatomy
Gill areas
Brains
Otoliths
Physiology
Body compositions
Nutrients
Oxygen consumptions
Swimming type
Swimming speeds
Visual pigment(s)
Fish sounds
Diseases / Parasites
Toxicities (LC50s)
Genetics
Genetics
Electrophoreses
Heritabilities
Human related
Aquaculture systems
Aquaculture profiles
Strains
Ciguatera cases
Stamps, coins, misc.
Outreach
Collaborators
Taxonomy
Common names
Synonyms
Morphology
Morphometrics
Pictures
References
References

Tools

Bio-Quiz | E-book | Field guide | Length-frequency wizard | Life-history tool | Point map | Classification Tree | Catch-MSY |

Special reports

Check for Aquarium maintenance | Check for Species Fact Sheets | Check for Aquaculture Fact Sheets

Download XML

Summary page | Point data | Common names | Photos

Internet sources

AFORO (otoliths) | Aquatic Commons | BHL | Cloffa | BOLDSystems | Websites from users | Check FishWatcher | CISTI | Catalog of Fishes: genus, species | DiscoverLife | ECOTOX | FAO - Publication: search | Faunafri | Fishipedia | Fishtrace | GenBank: genome, nucleotide | GloBI | Google Books | Google Scholar | Google | IGFA World Record | MitoFish | Otolith Atlas of Taiwan Fishes | PubMed | Reef Life Survey | Socotra Atlas | Tree of Life | Wikipedia: Go, Search | World Records Freshwater Fishing | Zoological Record

Estimates based on models

Preferred temperature (Ref. 123201): 21.6 - 29.1, mean 27.8 °C (based on 2652 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82804):  PD50 = 0.5005   [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01000 (0.00244 - 0.04107), b=3.04 (2.81 - 3.27), in cm total length, based on all LWR estimates for this body shape (Ref. 93245).
Trophic level (Ref. 69278):  3.1   ±0.30 se; based on food items.
Resilience (Ref. 120179):  Very Low, minimum population doubling time more than 14 years (Fec=1).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref. 59153):  Very high vulnerability (85 of 100).
Price category (Ref. 80766):   Medium.
Nutrients (Ref. 124155):  Calcium = 7.99 [1.05, 135.60] mg/100g; Iron = 0.83 [0.08, 10.24] mg/100g; Protein = 20.6 [15.3, 25.9] %; Omega3 = 0.157 [0.047, 0.501] g/100g; Selenium = 22.8 [4.7, 120.5] μg/100g; VitaminA = 4.56 [0.35, 57.84] μg/100g; Zinc = 0.483 [0.030, 5.484] mg/100g (wet weight);