Lesser devil ray facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lesser devil ray |
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| Conservation status | |
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| Range of Mobula hypostoma, not including M. rochebrunei | |
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The lesser devil ray (Mobula hypostoma) is a species of devil ray in the family Mobulidae.
Habitat
These rays live in shallow, warm waters and can be found in shoals of up to 40 individuals, although more often ranging between 2 and 10.
They occur along the coasts of the western Atlantic, from North Carolina to northern Argentina. The related Mobula rochebrunei has occasionally been recovered as a junior synonym of M. hypostoma, extending the species' range to the eastern Atlantic.
Diet
They mostly feed on zooplankton such as small crustaceans, although they can occasionally eat schooling fish, using their cephalic horns to funnel prey into their mouth.
Description
Lesser devil rays are relatively small, with a maximum width of about 125 cm (49 in). They have forward-facing cephalic horns, while their long spineless tails distinguish them from their relatives M. mobular.
Dorsal coloration varies from light brown to black, although some specimens have been reported as blue. Individuals sometimes possess a dark grey collar between their spiracles.
