Genetic and Morphometric Support for the Atlantic Pygmy Devil Ray, Mobula hypostoma (Bancroft, 1831), in the Eastern Atlantic Ocean

Abstract

Manta and devil rays are a diverse group of globally endangered elasmobranchs with a complicated taxonomic history. The emergence of genomic techniques has significantly improved our understanding of species units in the group, yet there is one species of devil ray for which uncertainty remains. Mobula rochebrunei (Vaillant, 1879), a pygmy devil ray inhabiting tropical waters of the eastern Atlantic, was recently synonymised with Mobula hypostoma (Bancroft, 1831), its western Atlantic counterpart. However, since there have been no sightings of the species in West and Central Africa for several decades, the revision was based on limited data, and further investigation was recommended. A dedicated monitoring effort in Cameroon recently led to the rare discovery of three pygmy devil rays, providing a unique opportunity to build on recent work. We use a combination of MinION sequencing and morphometric analysis to provide confirmation that pygmy devil rays on both sides of the Atlantic constitute the same species. Crucially, our work highlights the persistence of pygmy devil rays in West Africa despite concerns of disappearance and emphasises the need for urgent conservation action to avoid local extinction.