Mobula rochebrunei, commonly known as the lesser Guinean devil ray[1] or East Atlantic pygmy devil ray,[2] is a species of devil ray in the genus Mobula.
M. rochebrunei is one of the smallest species of devil rays, measuring 113cm (44inches) wide and weighing 30kg (70lb) on average. The dorsal side is brown to mauve-grey, with a darker collar separated from the mouth by a lighter stripe. The ventral side is mostly white, although with bronze shading.
They live in groups, and can be found either at the surface or close to the seafloor. They consume small fish and plankton, which they funnel into their mouth with their cephalic horns.
The species is found in the Atlantic Ocean along the West African coast, ranging from Mauritania to Angola,[1] although it has been reported up to Brazil.
Few specimens have been found, with the last verified record dating back to 1960, although a 2014 catch in Senegal has tentatively been identified as M. rochebrunei. The paucity of records from this species in areas where it was once common has led to suspicions of the species already being close to extinction.[2]
While often considered to be its own distinct species, Mobula rochebrunei has occasionally been recovered as a junior synonym of M. hypostoma, the lesser devil ray, extending the latter's range throughout the Atlantic.[3]