Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; pelagic-neritic; oceanodromous (Ref. 51243); depth range 0 - 700 m (Ref. 106604), usually 0 - 200 m (Ref. 89423). Subtropical; 53°N - 13°N
Circumglobal.
Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm 217.8, range 204 - ? cm
Max length : 520 cm WD male/unsexed; (Ref. 4442); 240.0 cm WD (female); common length : 225 cm WD male/unsexed; (Ref. 9256); max. published weight: 1.5 t (Ref. 115943)
Larger than M. hypostoma, tail with spine and prickles (Ref. 6902).
Body shape (shape guide): other.
An epipelagic species (Ref. 6808, 58302) found over continental shelves and near oceanic islands (Ref. 6679). Occurs singly or in groups (Ref. 9911). Feeds mainly on euphausiids (mainly Nictiphanes simplex), and to a lesser extent on copepods and crustacean larvae; also on small pelagic fishes and crustaceans (Ref. 6679, 6871), by funnelling using their cephalic fins and then trapping or filtering the food through their specialised gill plates (Ref. 115943). Acoustic tracks record the species to spend time above the thermocline at night to feed on krill (H. Dewar, pers.comm. 05/2000). Max length of female from Ref. 50641. 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. Very common by-catch of the gillnet fisheries targeting skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis). It is utilized for its meat as protein source (except the head), its gill filter plates (of very high value and as an ingredient in Chinese medicine, Ref. 115943), its cartilage and skin (Ref. 58048).
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. 6679, 50449). With one in a litter (Ref. 12951). Size at birth 85-92 cm WD (Ref. 12951, Ref. 58048).
McEachran, J.D. and B. Séret, 1990. Mobulidae. p. 73-76. In J.C. Quero, J.C. Hureau, C. Karrer, A. Post and L. Saldanha (eds.) Check-list of the fishes of the eastern tropical Atlantic (CLOFETA). JNICT, Lisbon; SEI, Paris; and UNESCO, Paris. Vol. 1. (Ref. 4442)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: commercial
Tools
Special reports
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Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature (Ref.
123201): 13.1 - 23, mean 15.8 °C (based on 226 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): 3.5 ±0.45 se; based on food items.
Generation time: 9.2 ( na - na) years. Estimated as median ln(3)/K based on 2
growth studies.
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (Fec assumed to be <100).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): High vulnerability (58 of 100).
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Climate Vulnerability (Ref.
125649): Moderate vulnerability (38 of 100).
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Nutrients (Ref.
124155): Calcium = 4.56 [0.57, 78.69] mg/100g; Iron = 0.708 [0.063, 8.495] mg/100g; Protein = 21 [16, 26] %; Omega3 = 0.174 [0.053, 0.535] g/100g; Selenium = 38.5 [7.7, 213.7] μg/100g; VitaminA = 2.65 [0.21, 33.74] μg/100g; Zinc = 0.316 [0.018, 3.678] mg/100g (wet weight);
