munk's pygmy devil ray
Mobula munkiana
Small devil ray from the eastern Pacific, from the Gulf of California to Peru, including the Galápagos. It does not occur in Brazil and appears in commercial fishing.
Also called: jamanta-pequena, manta chica, manta de Munk, munk's pygmy devil ray
- maximum
- 220 cm
- depth
- 0–15 m
who is the munk's pygmy devil ray
The small devil ray is a small devil ray of the family Mobulidae. It reaches 220 cm of disc width, and the usual size is 100 cm. It forms schools at the surface of coastal and oceanic waters, sometimes also near the bottom, down to 15 m. It feeds on planktonic crustaceans and small fish in schools. It is ovoviviparous, with one pup per litter. It appears in commercial fishing and is considered vulnerable. It does not occur in Brazil, and the records are from the eastern Pacific.
Essential profile. Identification, where it occurs and rules, with data from FishBase and the cited regulations. Season, time of day, technique and bait are added once we have a good source for the munk's pygmy devil ray; in the meantime, see the similar species.
identification
Small devil ray, flattened body, with lobes in front of the head. The Spanish name manta violácea indicates violet tones on the back. It reaches 220 cm of disc width, much less than the giant devil ray (Mobula mobular), up to 520 cm. It lives in schools, but is also found near the bottom.
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Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
Essential profile: the index uses a general fish model (weather, sun, moon and tide), without a season or time of day specific to this species.
where found
Eastern Pacific, from the Gulf of California in Mexico to Peru, including the Galápagos. It does not occur in Brazil.
Habitat: Surface of coastal and oceanic waters of the eastern Pacific, usually down to 15 meters.
rules for the munk's pygmy devil ray
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.
catch and release
catch and release Releasing the fish alive, quickly and with a wet hand. During a closed season it isn't always allowed: what the regulation says applies.
Small, harmless devil ray: don't lift it out of the water, remove the hook carefully or cut the line close, and release it with minimal handling.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.01, b = 3.04; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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sources and references
Essential profile: size, length-weight, depth, countries and conservation come from FishBase and the cited regulations, and the texts were written from those sources. Season, time of day, sensitivities, technique and baits and lures are not included yet, because we did not find a good source for this species.
- scientific FishBase: Mobula munkiana (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Mobula munkianaNames by country and language.
