Fauna
Fish

Munk's Pygmy Devil Ray

Mobula munkiana

Also known as Manta De Monk, Munk's Devil Ray, Pygmy Devil Ray, Smoothtail Mobula

Munk's pygmy devil rays gather in massive aggregations numbering in the thousands along coastal waters of the eastern Pacific, where they engage in explosive breaches up to three meters into the air. These synchronized belly-flopping displays produce loud acoustic slaps beneath the surface, functioning in schooling communication, mating courtship, or dislodging external parasites. Filter-feeding on dense swarms of mysid shrimp and plankton, they use curled cephalic fins to funnel microscopic prey into their mouths while gliding gracefully through the water column.

MarineSchoolingPlanktivore
Munk's Pygmy Devil Ray reference1 / 5
"diabolo manta, dwergduivelsrog, manta chica, manta de munk, manta violácea, mante de munk, munki merisarvik, munk's devil ray, pygmy devil ray, smoothtail mobula, 芒基蝠鱝, 芒基蝠鲼" by Alberto Alcalá is licensed under CC BY 4.0. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/ · cc-by
—observations
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—peak records
VulnerableConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXVulnerableRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preyMysid shrimp, Euphausiids, Larval fish
Predators
  • Orca
  • Great white shark
  • Silky shark
ThreatsBycatch in gillnets, targeted artisanal fisheries, and vessel strikes
HabitatsPelagic coastal waters, shallow bays, and open ocean
Life span12–20 years
Classification
  1. FamilyMyliobatidae
  2. SpeciesMobula munkiana
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Docile plankton feeder; safe to observe from a respectful distance in the water.
What to notice
Recognize by their small wingspan under one meter, purple-grey dorsal hue, and acrobatic leaps above the sea surface.
Support conservation
Do not chase moving aggregations with motorized watercraft or swim aggressively into the center of a school.
Responsible observation
  • Snorkeling Distance: Maintain several meters of clearance to avoid startling dense schools during synchronized dives.
  • Boat Speed: Reduce vessel velocity in schooling zones to prevent fatal hull and propeller strikes during leaping events.
  • Acoustic Awareness: Listen for rapid slapping noises on the water surface, which often signal breaching aggregations nearby.
Related species
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