Japanese Devilray   RAY
 
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Scientific Name:
Mobula japanica
Other Names and/or Listed subspecies:
Spinetail Devilray, Spinetail Mobula
Group:
Fishes
Status/Date Listed as Endangered:
NT-IUCN: 2006
Area(s) Where Listed As Endangered:
Africa, Asia, Australia, Central America, Hawaii, Middle East, North America, Oceanic, South America

The Japanese Devilray is a large, distinctive species of ray found in the Pacific Ocean. It has a diamond-shaped body that can reach up to 13 feet in length, with a broad snout and two large, triangular pectoral fins. The back of the ray is a dark, metallic blue-grey color, while the underside is white. The Japanese Devilray is easily distinguished from other species of rays by its long, pointed cephalic fins, which extend beyond its mouth.

The Japanese Devilray is found in the western Pacific Ocean, from Japan to the Philippines, and as far south as Papua New Guinea. It prefers shallow coastal waters and estuaries, where it feeds on small fish and plankton. The species is ovoviviparous, meaning the young develop inside eggs that hatch within the mother's body before they are born live. The female will typically give birth to one or two pups at a time.

Currently, there is not enough information available to assess the conservation status of this species. However, like many other species of rays, the Japanese Devilray is vulnerable to overfishing and habitat destruction, as well as accidental capture in fishing nets. Some measures are being taken to protect the species, such as the implementation of fishing quotas and the establishment of marine protected areas. Additionally, research efforts are ongoing to better understand the biology and ecology of the Japanese Devilray, in order to inform conservation strategies.




Wikipedia Article

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Wikipedia Article
Copyright Notice: This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Spinetail mobula".

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