Elasmobranchii (sharks and rays) >
Myliobatiformes (Stingrays) >
Mobulidae (Devilrays)
Etymology: eregoodoo: According to Russell (1803), derived from a vernacular name used in the region of Coromandel (south-east India), designating a mobulid ray (Ref. 132274).
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; pelagic-oceanic; depth range 0 - 50 m (Ref. 106604). Tropical; 30°N - 21°S
Indo-West Pacific: tropical-subtropical; from the northern Red Sea (26ºN; Egypt) to South Africa (29ºS; Durban); eastward into the Arabian–Persian Gulf, Arabian Sea, Pakistan, southern India, Bangladesh, Malaysia, West and North Australia, to western Pacific, including Sarawak and parts of Indonesia, north to Taiwan (22ºN; Kaohsiung), western Papua New Guinea, and eastern Australia (26ºS; New South Wales).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 123 cm WD male/unsexed; (Ref. 132274); 130.0 cm WD (female)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
This small mobulid is distinguished by the following characters: pectoral fins very short and with one of the lowest aspect ratios of the genus (i.e. the ratio of DW to disc length, 1:0.578, n = 50), with high relative values of longitudinal metrics (e.g. disc length and anterior projection); head and cephalic fins very elongated with tip of cephalic fin to spiracle 16.5% of DW (n = 50); pre-oral length 5.9% of DW (n = 50); no caudal spine; base of tail quadrangular in section; spiracle very small, subcircular, ventral to plane of pectoral fins; a distinct dark blotch on ventral side of pectoral fins at the midpoint along the leading edge; branchial filter plates distinctively reduced, with four (rarely five) lateral lobes; terminal lobe also distinctively elongated and leaf shaped, pointed terminal lobe (its length almost one-quarter of the plate); colour of plates whitish pink; tooth bands on average 73% of mouth width; most teeth in adult males with multiple long lingual cusps (Ref. 132274).
Cross section: oval.
Found in coastal and oceanic waters (Ref. 30573); solitary or aggregations, sometimes with 50 or more individuals (Ref. 90102). Not known to penetrate the epipelagic zone (Ref. 9911). Ovoviviparous (Ref. 50449).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Exhibit ovoviparity (aplacental viviparity), with embryos feeding initially on yolk, then receiving additional nourishment from the mother by indirect absorption of uterine fluid enriched with mucus, fat or protein through specialised structures (Ref. 50449).
Notarbartolo di Sciara, G., S. Adnet, M. Bennett, M.K. Broadhurst, D. Fernando, R.W. Jabado, B.J.L. Laglbauer and G.
Jabado, R. ( Stevens, 2019. Taxonomic status, biological notes, and conservation of the longhorned pygmy devil ray Mobula eregoodoo Cantor, 1849). Aquatic Conserv: Mar Freshw Ecosyst. 2019;1-19. (Ref. 132274)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: subsistence fisheries
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Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature (Ref.
123201): 25.6 - 29.1, mean 28.2 °C (based on 2136 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5039 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01000 (0.00244 - 0.04107), b=3.04 (2.81 - 3.27), in cm total length, based on all LWR estimates for this body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.4 ±0.45 se; based on food items.
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (Fec assumed to be <100).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Very high vulnerability (84 of 100).
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Nutrients (Ref.
124155): Calcium = 26.5 [7.6, 139.1] mg/100g; Iron = 0.962 [0.235, 2.819] mg/100g; Protein = 21 [16, 26] %; Omega3 = 0.184 [0.050, 0.609] g/100g; Selenium = 50.2 [13.3, 160.3] μg/100g; VitaminA = 23.1 [7.7, 73.7] μg/100g; Zinc = 0.942 [0.449, 1.798] mg/100g (wet weight);
