Species Use Database

lesser devil ray
Mobula hypostoma

Used for Recreation and live export to aquariums for public display of live animals in Atlantic - western central

A. Species

Scientific name: Mobula hypostoma

Common name(s): lesser devil ray

Global IUCN Red List Threat Status: Endangered


B. Location of use

Geographic location(s):

  • Atlantic - western central

Country/Region:


C. Scale of assessment

Scale of assessment: Individual Site

Name/Details of location: Tampa Bay/ Panama City Beach


D. Timescale of use

Start Year: 2018

End Year: 2018


E. Information about the use

How is the wild species sourced?: Wild species sourced from its natural habitat

Type of use: Extractive

Practice of use: Targeted fishing harvesting/exploiting or collecting wild aquatic resources

Lethal or non-lethal: Non-Lethal

Does this use involve take/extraction of: The whole entire organism

Purpose(s) of end use: Recreation and live export to aquariums for public display of live animals

Motivation of use: Income generation from trade (individual/household/community)

Is this use legal or illegal?: Legal under national law


F. Information about the Users

Which stakeholder(s) does the record primarily focus on?: National / local private sector


G. Information about the sustainability of use

Is there evidence that the use is having an impact on the target species?: Wild species sourced from its natural habitat

Has an assessment (or judgement) of sustainability of the use of the target species from an ecological perspective been recorded?: Yes, considered sustainable

Details of assessment carried out: CITES Non detriment findings

Brief summary on why the use has been assessed/judged to be sustainable or unsustainable: export of wild specimen that will be under appropriate care to ensure their survival during capture, habilitation to captivity, transport and end use

Has an assessment (or judgement) of sustainability of the use of the target species from an economic perspective been recorded?: Yes, considered sustainable

Details of assessment carried out: CITES Non detriment findings/anecdotal evidence

Brief summary on why the use has been assessed/judged to be sustainable or unsustainable: implicit: licensed trader in import/ export of wild live animals, repeat license applicant/ holder

Has an assessment (or judgement) of sustainability of the use of the target species from a social perspective been recorded?: not recorded

Has an assessment (or judgement) of sustainability of the use of the target species from a human health perspective been recorded?: not recorded

Has an assessment (or judgement) of sustainability of the use of the target species from an animal health/welfare perspective been recorded?: Yes, considered sustainable

Details of assessment carried out: CITES Non detriment findings

Brief summary on why the use has been assessed/judged to be sustainable or unsustainable: implicit: Appropriate care during capture, habilitation to captivity/ transport/ end use to ensure survival and continued well-being of the animals


Recommendations provided in the record to maintain or enhance the sustainability of the use of the target species

continued following of all existing laws, rules and regulations


Record source

Information about the record source: formal_data_stats

Date of publication/issue/production: 2018-01-01T00:00:00+0000

Source Reference(s):


US Fish and Wildlife Service, Division of Scientific Authority: NDF for wild-caught lesser devil ray (Mobula hypostoma) 2018

Date of record entry: 2023-09-18