Munk's Pygmy Devil Ray

Munk's pygmy devil ray (Mobula munkiana) is endemic to the eastern Pacific Ocean and is commonly found in the Gulf of California and along the coasts of Central and South America. It prefers warm, shallow coastal waters.

As the name suggests, Munk's pygmy devil ray is one of the smaller members of the family Mobulidae, reaching a disc width of roughly one meter. This is considerably smaller than the giant oceanic manta ray, which can span over six meters.

Yes, Munk's pygmy devil rays are known to aggregate in groups, sometimes in large numbers, particularly in the Gulf of California. These gatherings may be related to feeding or mating behavior.

The species is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, reflecting concerns about population pressures from fishing and bycatch. Like other mobulid rays, it has a slow reproductive rate, making populations slow to recover from depletion.