Perhaps the black markings may give me the illusion of bent fins (look at 0:27), but I think it's a bent fin (=smooth tail devil ray). In any case it's either a M. thurstoni or a M. japanica. They're the only ones who grow that large, except the Mobula tarapacana, and I don't think it's one of those, as they have a longer more narrow head. M. japanica has a very long tail, but it could be broken, as they often are. Adult Japanica is typically 7 feet wide, while adult thurstoni is 5-6 feet wide.
How big was it? It looks like a bentfin devil ray, and they're the most difficult to get close to! Did you see the animal from the top? Did it have a moderately dark band across the head? In the video it seems like it has a white spot on the dorsal fin - did you see if it had that, or is it just because of some reflection? Short head, bent fins, white patch - could be a bentfin, Mobula thurstoni, if it was more than five feet. Could be wrong, though, they all look quite similar!!
@mroldnewbie I believe there was a white tip on his dorsal fin. But I can't remember much else. I saw a few that week. I would say maybe 5 or 6 foot wing span?
Perhaps the black markings may give me the illusion of bent fins (look at 0:27), but I think it's a bent fin (=smooth tail devil ray). In any case it's either a M. thurstoni or a M. japanica. They're the only ones who grow that large, except the Mobula tarapacana, and I don't think it's one of those, as they have a longer more narrow head. M. japanica has a very long tail, but it could be broken, as they often are. Adult Japanica is typically 7 feet wide, while adult thurstoni is 5-6 feet wide.
mroldnewbie 8 months ago
How big was it? It looks like a bentfin devil ray, and they're the most difficult to get close to! Did you see the animal from the top? Did it have a moderately dark band across the head? In the video it seems like it has a white spot on the dorsal fin - did you see if it had that, or is it just because of some reflection? Short head, bent fins, white patch - could be a bentfin, Mobula thurstoni, if it was more than five feet. Could be wrong, though, they all look quite similar!!
mroldnewbie 8 months ago
@mroldnewbie I believe there was a white tip on his dorsal fin. But I can't remember much else. I saw a few that week. I would say maybe 5 or 6 foot wing span?
snorkymn 8 months ago