Shortfin Devilray, Mobula kuhlii (Valenciennes 1841)

Other Names: Kuhl's Devil Ray, Lesser Devilray, Shortfin Pygmy Devil Ray

Summary:

A small dark brown devilray with a white underside, a short head, short cephalic fins, a white tip on the dorsal fin, and a distinctive pale margin on the leading edge of the pectoral fins which have slightly curved fin tips. The tail lacks a spine and is shorter than the disc, and the upper surface lacks denticles.

Cite this page as:

Bray, D.J. 2025, Mobula kuhlii in Fishes of Australia, accessed 04 Jun 2026, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/5778

Shortfin Devilray, Mobula kuhlii (Valenciennes 1841)

More Info

Distribution	Northern Australia. Elsewhere the species occurs in the Indo-west Pacific: Africa, Socotra (Yemen), Persian Gulf and Madagascar east to Philippines, Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands, south to northern Australia. Individuals or schools mostly inhabit coastal areas to depths of 50 m.
Biology	Reproduction is viviparous with an unknown gestation period. Males mature at ~115 cm DW, females are mature by 116 cm DW. The species has a low reproductive output, with one large pup born, possibly every 1-3 years, size at birth 31-34 cm DW. The embryos feed initially on yolk, and are then nourished from the mother by indirect absorption of uterine fluid enriched with mucus, fat or protein through specialised structures in the uterus (histotrophy).
Fisheries	Mobulid rays, including the Shortfin Devilray, are targeted and caught incidentally in industrial and artisanal fisheries throughout most of their range. The species is used for its meat, skin, cartilage, liver oil, and gill plates.
Similar Species	Differs from the similar Japanese Devilray, Mobula mobular, and the Chilean Devilray, M. tarapacana, in growing to a much smaller size, and in having circular spiracular openings below the plane of the pectoral fin (vs. slit-like spiracles above the plane of the pectoral fins).
Etymology	The species is named in honour of German naturalist and zoologist Heinrich Kuhl, who provided material for Valenciennes.
Species Citation	Cephaloptera kuhlii Valenciennes 1841, Systematische Beschreibung der Plagiostomen: p. 185, pl. 59. Type locality: India.
Author	Bray, D.J. 2025
Resources	Atlas of Living Australia Australian Faunal Directory Catalog of Fishes

Shortfin Devilray, Mobula kuhlii (Valenciennes 1841)

References

Allen, G.R. & Erdmann, M.V. 2024. Reef fishes of the East Indies. 2nd ed. Volumes I-III. Tropical Reef Research, Perth Australia. 1478 pp.

Broadhurst, M.K., Domit, C., Trevizani, T.H., Raoult, V., et al. 2019. Mother-embryo isotope fractionation in the pygmy devilray, Mobula kuhlii cf. eregoodootenkee. Journal of Fish Biology 94: 589–593. https://doi.org/10.1111/jfb.14010

Broadhurst, M.K., Laglbauer, B., Burgess, K.B. & Coleman, M.A. 2018. Reproductive biology and range extension for Mobula kuhlii cf. eregoodootenkee. Endangered Species Research 35: 71–80. https://doi.org/10.3354/esr00876

Chin, C., Rigby, C., Short, A. & White, W.T. 2019. Verified record of Kuhl's devil ray (Mobula kuhlii) in the Solomon Islands from citizen scientists. Pacific Conservation Biology: https://doi.org/10.1071/PC18088.

Compagno, L.J.V. & Last, P.R. 1999. Families Gymnuridae, Myliobatidae, Rhinopteridae, Mobulidae. pp. 1505-1529 in Carpenter, K.E. & Niem, V.H. (eds). The Living Marine Resources of the Western Central Pacific. FAO Species Identification Guide for Fisheries Purposes. Rome : FAO Vol. 3 pp. 1397-2068.

Notarbartolo-di-Sciara, G., Adnet, S., Bennett, M., Broadhurst, M.K., et al. 2019. Taxonomic status, biological notes, and conservation of the longhorned pygmy devil ray Mobula eregoodoo (Cantor, 1849). Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems 29(10), https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.3230

Rigby, C.L., Barreto, R., Carlson, J., Fernando, D., Fordham, S., Francis, M.P., Jabado, R.W., Liu, K.M., Marshall, A. & Romanov, E. 2022. Mobula kuhlii (amended version of 2020 assessment). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2022: e.T161439A214405747. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2022-1.RLTS.T161439A214405747.en. Accessed on 15 July 2025.

Valenciennes, A. 1841. Cephaloptera Kuhlii. Valenc. p. 185, pl. 59 in Müller, J. & Henle, F.G.J. Systematische Beschreibung der Plagiostomen. Berlin : Veit & Co. pp. 103-200 pls. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.6906

White, W.T., Baje, L., Sabub, B., Appleyard, S.A., Pogonoski, J.J. & Mana, R.R. 2017. Sharks and Rays of Papua New Guinea. Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research Monograph Series 189: 1-327

White, W.T., Corrigan, S., Yang, L., Henderson, A.C., et al. 2018. Phylogeny of the manta and devilrays (Chondrichthyes: Mobulidae), with an updated taxonomic arrangement for the family. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 20: 1-26. https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlx018

White, W.T. & Last, P.R. 2016. Families Myliobatidae, Aetobatidae. pp. 706-731 in Last, P.R., White, W.T., Carvalho, M.R. de, Séret, B., Stehmann, M.F.W. & Naylor, G.J.P. (eds). Rays of the World. Clayton South, Victoria : CSIRO Publishing 790 pp.

Whitley, G.P. 1936. The Australian devil ray, Daemomanta alfredi (Krefft), with remarks on the superfamily Mobuloidea (order Batoidei). The Australian Zoologist 8(3): 164-188. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/part/92163