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Giant Devil Ray

It’s a bird, it’s a plane — it’s a flying devil ray! These rays are known for their acrobatic acts — jumping or breaching well above the water’s surface while migrating.

 

Spinetail giant devil rays typically have a disc width of 1.8 to 2.8 meters (6 to 9 feet), with some individuals reaching up to 3.5 meters (around 11.5 feet) across. But even their size is dwarfed compared to the oceanic manta ray, which can have a wingspan over double that size! They’re easily identified by a thick black, crescent-shaped band that stretches from eye to eye across the top of the head. Their backs are slate blue with lighter gray accents around the head band and fin edges, and their undersides are bright white. While their exact lifespan is unknown, they are believed to live at least 15 years. 

Spinetail devil rays are the only known species of mobulid ray with a tail spine, though this spine is often removed by fishers. They are usually seen swimming in tropical and subtropical waters around the world. Like other devil rays, they use their cephalic fins — curled structures on either side of the mouth that resemble horns — to help funnel food while swimming.6Their diet includes plankton, small fish, and tiny crustaceans.

 

 

Spinetail devil rays are fished for their meat as food and bait, skin as leather, and gill plates – which are increasingly being used in Asian medicinal products. Frequent capture both from targeted fishing and incidental capture as bycatch in industrial and artisanal fisheries has led them to be listed as Endangered by the IUCN Red List.  

Overfishing 

They are primarily targeted for their meat as food and bait, skin as leather, and gill plates – which are increasingly being used in Asian medicinal products . Over time, this level of fishing has led to steep population declines — with numbers estimated to have dropped by as much as 50–79% in the last few decades.

Bycatch 

These rays are frequently caught as bycatch in tuna fisheries throughout their ranges. Even when released after accidental capture, spinetail devil rays often sustain serious injuries during the capture process, and it is believed that most do not survive due to high post-release mortality.  

Spinetail devil rays are also captured alive for display in aquariums.

 

 

Stopping overfishing and destructive fishing practices is essential to helping ocean species recover from intense fishing pressure. Oceana is working around the world to reduce overfishing and bycatch and protect threatened marine wildlife. We’re also helping advance the global goal of protecting 30% of the ocean by 2030. 

 

 

  • Klimley, A. P., Curtis, T. H., Johnston, E. M., Kock, A., & Stevens, G. M. (2024). A review of elasmobranch breaching behavior: why do sharks and rays propel themselves out of the water into the air?. Environmental Biology of Fishes, 1-41.   
  • Stevens, G., Di Sciara, G. N., Dando, M., & Fernando, D. (2019). Guide to the Manta and Devil Rays of the World. 
  • Notarbartolo di Sciara, G., Stevens, G., & Fernando, D. (2020). The giant devil ray Mobula mobular (Bonnaterre, 1788) is not giant, but it is the only spinetail devil ray. Marine Biodiversity Records, 13(1), 1-5.    
  • Couturier, L. I. E., Marshall, A. D., Jaine, F. R. A., Kashiwagi, T., Pierce, S. J., Townsend, K. A., … & Richardson, A. J. (2012). Biology, ecology and conservation of the Mobulidae. Journal of fish biology, 80(5), 1075-1119.   
  • Croll, D. A., Newton, K. M., Weng, K., Galván-Magaña, F., Sullivan, J. O., & Dewar, H. (2012). Movement and habitat use by the spine-tail devil ray in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. Marine ecology progress series, 465, 193-200. 

 

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