THE LOWER FISHES 



175 



LITTLE devilfish: Mohulu hjfostoma 



Size: Up to 4 to 5 feet in width. Near relatives reach 23 feet in width. 



Weiolit: Up to 40 pounds. Near relatives reach 3,500 pounds. 



Distribution: Cape Hatteras to Brazil. Recorded north as far as New York. 



Identification: The mouth is on the underside beneath the short snout. The 

 color is a blackish brown. The tail is relatively long. 



Habits: Little devilfish travel in schools and feed by rushing at schools of 

 small fishes or plankton. They drive the prey toward shallow water near shore 

 and may even beach themselves temporarily in their vigorous feeding rushes. 

 They are inveterate leapers. According to Coles (1916) these rays leap clear of 

 the water and land with a great splash. The larger manta also leaps, but usually 

 not completely clear of the water. Females also leap during childbirth. The 

 young are ejected one at a time as the female leaps into the air. If a female 

 devilfish is harpooned, this will often cause a forcible ejection of the young. 

 Little devilfish can utter a musical barking sound. 



Similar Species: The lesser devilfish, Mobida lucasana, reaches 7 feet in width 

 and is found from Baja California to Central America. 



The manta, Manta hirostris, has a large mouth terminal on the snout and a 

 shorter tail than the little devilfish. It ranges in all tropical and subtropical seas 

 and is fairly common. It reaches 23 feet in breadth and 3,500 pounds. Contrary 

 to the similar little devilfishes, it usually travels alone, moves slowly as it feeds, 

 and leaps only partly out of the water. It still makes a tremendous noise in its 

 leaps however. Tales of its power in pulling boats are legendary. It likes to bask 



Fig. 81. Little devilfish.. 



