Atlantic devil ray vs Coiban Mastuff Bat

Mobula hypostoma compared with Molossus coibensis

Key Differences

  • Atlantic devil ray is Endangered while Coiban Mastuff Bat is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank Atlantic devil ray Coiban Mastuff Bat
Kingdom same Animalia (Animals) Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same Chordata (Chordates) Chordata (Chordates)
Class Elasmobranchii Mammalia (Mammals)
Order Myliobatiformes (Myliobatiformes) Chiroptera (Bats)
Family Myliobatidae Molossidae
Genus Mobula Molossus
Species Mobula hypostoma Molossus coibensis

Evolutionary Relationship

Atlantic devil ray and Coiban Mastuff Bat share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

Conservation Status

Atlantic devil ray

EN — Endangered

Coiban Mastuff Bat

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute Atlantic devil ray Coiban Mastuff Bat
Diet
Average Lifespan
Average Length
Average Weight

Habitat & Geographic Range

Atlantic devil ray

Coiban Mastuff Bat

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

Distributed across Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela.

Atlantic devil ray

The Atlantic devil ray (Mobula hypostoma) is a species in the genus Mobula. It is currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List.

Coiban Mastuff Bat

The Coiban Mastuff Bat (Molossus coibensis) is a small free-tailed bat in the family Molossidae, named for Coiba Island off the Pacific coast of Panama, where specimens were first collected. Members of the genus Molossus are robust, fast-flying insectivores adapted to open-air foraging above the forest canopy and over water, characterised by narrow wings and a tail that extends beyond the patagium (wing membrane). Molossus coibensis inhabits lowland tropical forests and adjacent open habitats in Central America and northwestern South America, with confirmed records from Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, and Panama, indicating a distributional range that extends well beyond its type locality on Coiba Island. Like other mastiff bats, it roosts in crevices within buildings, rock faces, and hollow trees, emerging at dusk to pursue aerial insects at speed. The species feeds primarily on large beetles, moths, and other night-flying insects, typically hunted high above the forest. It is assessed as Least Concern by the IUCN based on its relatively wide range and tolerance of modified habitats. Molossus coibensis was long treated as a subspecies of Molossus molossus before being recognised as a distinct species based on morphological and molecular evidence. Ecological and life-history data specific to this taxon remain limited.

Nature FYI Family

Explore more of the natural world across our sister sites.

Part of the Nature FYI family — FYIPedia