
WILDLIFE
Mobula tarapacana
Country
Chile
Conservation
Critically Endangered
Endemic
Yes
Also known as
Devil Ray, Manta Raya, 飛魴仔, 鷹魴, Chilean devil ray, Greater Guinean Mobula, Sickl
Location
Satellite mapExternal link
Learn moreThe Chilean devil ray (Mobula tarapacana), also known as the box ray, greater Guinean mobula, sicklefin devil ray or the spiny mobula, is a species of ray in the family Mobulidae. It is often observed worldwide, basking just below the surface in tropical, subtropical and warm temperate oceans, mainly offshore, and occasionally appearing near the coast. It can reach a disc width of up to 3.7 m (12 ft). Originally believed to be surface dwellers, Mobula tarapacana have been discovered to feed at depths of up to 1,896 metres (6,220 ft) during deep dives; they are among the deepest-diving ocean animals. Their dives often follow a stepwise pattern, in which the ray dives deeply, then works its way back up by repeatedly "levelling up" for a bit and then moving higher. Sonar observations suggest that rays level up where there are denser layers of prey, suggesting that this is a foraging behavior...
32.18°S, 71.74°W · Google Maps satellite