84 GIANT FISHES 



The Mantu brings forth living young, and it seems probable 

 that one only is produced at a birth. The full-grown embryo 

 is of considerable size, and one cut out of a pregnant female 

 15 feet in width was itself 5 feet across the disc and weighed 

 20 lb. 



The flesh of the Manta is quite wholesome, and is eaten by 

 natives of various parts of the world. The liver provides a 

 quantity of valuable oil, and the skin makes excellent sand- 

 paper when dried. As already mentioned, it gives exciting 

 sport to the fisherman, and the record fish ever harpooned 

 seems to have been one captured at Bimini in the Bahamas, 

 in 1919, which was more than 17 feet long and weighed over 

 3000 lb. 



The name Manta is a Spanish word meaning " blanket ", 

 and btrostris is derived from two words meaning " two " 

 and " snout " — a reference to the cephalic fins. The species 

 is also known popularly as " Devil Ray ", " Vampire Ray ", 

 " Sea Bat " and " Bat-fish ". 



SMALL OR LESSER DEVIL-FISH. 



(Genus Mobula.) Fig.' 32. 



This Ray differs from the Manta in having the mouth 

 smaller and placed on the lower side of the head, and the 

 teeth either developed in both jaws or in the upper jaw only. 

 The cephalic fins tend to be rolled outwards. The coloration 

 of the upper surface is brown or black. 



Grows to a very large size, attaining to a weight of at least 

 2000 or 3000 lb. 



Several species of Mobula have been described, but it is 

 open to doubt whether these are all distinct. The Mobular 

 (M. mobular), of the Mediterranean and adjacent parts of 

 the Atlantic, and the Small Devil-fish (M. hypostoma), of the 

 Western Atlantic, are the best known forms. The former 

 has been once recorded from the southern coast of Ireland, and 

 is well known at the Azores and at the Canaries, where it 

 is called " Horned Ray ", "Ox Ray ", or " Diable des 

 Caraibes ". Other species (M. japonica, M. diabolus, M. 

 kuhlii) are found in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. 



