Munk's devil ray

Octavio Aburto / iLCP

​Known scientifically as Mobula munkiana, the Munk’s devil ray is a pelagic species found in coastal and oceanic waters of central and South America’s Pacific side up to 15 meters deep. Like other rays, they can be loners or found in large schools, mainly feeding on plankton and small fish.

From the specimens collected and measured, the maximum length is about 220cm for a male, almost the most common length seems to be around 100cm (also for a male; no information for a female seems to exist). They exhibit aplacental viviparity and their young (called ‘pups’) feed on yolk until it runs out. The pups will exhibit additional nutrients through uterine fluid.
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Not much else is known about this species, and their profile for the IUCN cannot be accessed.

WHAT DID YOU LEARN ABOUT THIS ANIMAL?

GLOSSARY

• Artisanal fishery: There is, as yet, no universally-accepted definition; the term is used interchangeably with ‘small scale fishery.’ In general, artisanal fishing will be family-based, employing small or no boats and simple and/or traditional methods.
• Bycatch: The part of a fishery’s catch that is made up of non-target species.  
• Commercial fishery: The activity of catching fish and other seafood for profit.
• Crustaceans: Group of animals with a hard exoskeleton, jointed legs and segmented body.
• IUCN: International Union for Conservation of Nature.​​

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