| Mobulidae (Devilrays) |
| 520 cm WD (male/unsexed); max.weight: 1,500 kg |
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pelagic-neritic; marine; depth range 0 - 700 m, oceanodromous |
| Probably circumglobal in warm seas. |
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Larger than M. hypostoma, tail with spine and prickles (Ref. 6902). |
| An epipelagic species (Ref. 6808) found over continental shelves and near oceanic islands (Ref. 6679). Feeds on small pelagic fishes and crustaceans (Ref. 6679), by funnelling using their cephalic fins and then trapping or filtering the food through their specialised gill plates (Ref. 115943). Ovoviviparous (Ref. 50449). Bycatch mortalities have been reported from Mediterranean fisheries - large-scale driftnets, purse seines and trawls, bottom set nets, trammel nets, longlines and even fixed traps for tuna. It is utilized for its meat as protein source (except the head) and gill plates as ingredient in Chinese medicine (Ref. 115943) |
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Endangered (EN); Date assessed: 20 November 2018 (A2bd+3d) Ref. (130435)
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| harmless |
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This species is caught seasonally sometime between February and April (caught for a total of 4 days in 2014, 3 in 2015 and 8 in 2016.
In Gaza, a total landings of 304 individuals (over 90% males) were reported from 2014 to 2016, most were mature and appeared to be mating (over 90% of males had sperm-filled claspers); and this area may be a mating ground. In 2013, nearly 400 individuals were landed and was erroneously described by international media as a 'mass stranding event'; in 2014 total were 30, for 2015, 85 and for 2016, 160 individuals were landed An export market to China for gill plates (ingredient for Chinese medicine) was also reported in 2013. Imposed restrictions on exports from the country prevents any legal international trade of these plates. Noteworthy, but not all that unsurprising, is that all fishers and fishmongers involved were unaware that this species is listed as 'Endangered' by IUCN and in the SPA/BD Protocol to the Barcelona Convention. Sold in local markets for consumption for it is utilized (except the ead) as a protein source (Ref. 115943). |
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