Mobula ray
Mobula mobular
Sighting evidence at Princess Alice Bank, Azores — Faial and Pico
Photo: guillaume_papuga · CC BY-NC
The giant devil ray aggregates over Princess Alice Bank in extraordinary numbers during summer, drawn by the upwelling of nutrient-rich cold water that concentrates zooplankton prey around the seamount. Schools of hundreds wheel in tight formations near the surface, each individual leaping clear of the water in explosive bursts thought to be linked to parasite removal or social signalling. This is an Endangered species under the IUCN Red List; the seamount aggregations represent one of the largest known concentrations in the northeast Atlantic.
Evidence at this site
No confirmed records on file at this site
Mobula ray is listed as a curated species here based on historical reports.