| Basic info | Taxonomic history | Classification | Included Taxa |
| Morphology | Ecology and taphonomy | External Literature Search | Age range and collections |
Mobulidae
Taxonomy
Mobulidae was named by Gill (1893). It is extant. Its type is Mobula.
It was synonymized subjectively with Mantidae by Hay (1902); it was reranked as the subfamily Mobulinae by Cicimurri and Knight (2009), Ebersole et al. (2019), Cicimurri et al. (2022).
It was assigned to Masticura by Jordan (1963); to Mobuloidea by Cappetta (1987); to Myliobatoidei by van der Laan (2019); to Myliobatidae by Cicimurri and Knight (2009), Ebersole et al. (2019), Cicimurri et al. (2022); and to Myliobatiformes by Purdy et al. (2001), Tabuce et al. (2005), Kent (2018), Maisch IV et al. (2025), Cicimurri et al. (2025).
It was synonymized subjectively with Mantidae by Hay (1902); it was reranked as the subfamily Mobulinae by Cicimurri and Knight (2009), Ebersole et al. (2019), Cicimurri et al. (2022).
It was assigned to Masticura by Jordan (1963); to Mobuloidea by Cappetta (1987); to Myliobatoidei by van der Laan (2019); to Myliobatidae by Cicimurri and Knight (2009), Ebersole et al. (2019), Cicimurri et al. (2022); and to Myliobatiformes by Purdy et al. (2001), Tabuce et al. (2005), Kent (2018), Maisch IV et al. (2025), Cicimurri et al. (2025).
Synonymy list
| Year | Name and author |
|---|---|
| 1893 | Mobulidae Gill |
| 1963 | Mobulidae Jordan p. 605 |
| 1987 | Mobulidae Cappetta p. 175 |
| 2001 | Mobulidae Purdy et al. p. 96 |
| 2005 | Mobulidae Tabuce et al. p. 388 |
| 2009 | Mobulinae Cicimurri and Knight p. 639 |
| 2018 | Mobulidae Kent p. 130 |
| 2019 | Mobulinae Ebersole et al. p. 144 |
| 2019 | Mobulidae van der Laan p. 46 |
| 2022 | Mobulinae Cicimurri et al. |
| 2025 | Mobulidae Cicimurri et al. p. 70 |
| 2025 | Mobulidae Maisch IV et al. p. 47 |
Is something missing? Join the Paleobiology Database and enter the data
|
|
If no rank is listed, the taxon is considered an unranked clade in modern classifications. Ranks may be repeated or presented in the wrong order because authors working on different parts of the classification may disagree about how to rank taxa.
Fm. Mobulidae Gill 1893
show all | hide all
G. †Archaeomanta Herman 1979
+
†Archaeomanta hermani Kozlov 2001
†Archaeomanta melenhorsti Herman 1979
†Archaeomanta priemi Herman 1979
G. †Brachioptilon Newman 1849
G. †Burnhamia Cappetta 1976
+
†Burnhamia daviesi Woodward 1889
†Burnhamia fetahi Cappetta 1985
†Burnhamia glikmani Pfeil 1981
G. †Eoplinthicus Cappetta and Stringer 2002
+
†Eoplinthicus underwoodi Adnet et al. 2012
†Eoplinthicus yazooensis Cappetta and Stringer 2002
G. Mobula Rafinesque 1810 [devil ray]
+
Mobula auriculata Rafinesque 1810 [giant devil ray]
Mobula birostris Walbaum 1792
†Mobula hynei Bourdon 1999
Mobula hypostomus Bancroft 1831
†Mobula loupianensis Cappetta 1970
†Mobula melanyae Case 1980
†Mobula pectinata Capetta 1970
Invalid names: Apterurus Rafinesque 1810 [synonym], Cephalopterus Riso 1810 [synonym], Ceratobatis Boulenger 1897 [synonym], Ceratoptera [synonym], Dicerobatus Blainville 1816 [synonym], Manta Bancroft 1829 [synonym], Paramobula Pfeil 1981 [synonym], Pterocephalus Swainson 1838 [synonym]
Diagnosis
No diagnoses are available
Measurements
No measurements are available
|
|
||||
|
|
||||
|
|||||
|
|
||||
| Source: o = order, subp = subphylum | |||||
| References: Wagner 2023, Hendy et al. 2009, Carroll 1988 | |||||
Age range
Maximum range based only on fossils: base of the Danian to the top of the Early/Lower Pliocene or 66.00000 to 3.60000 Ma
Minimum age of oldest fossil (stem group age): 61.66 Ma
Minimum age of oldest fossil (stem group age): 61.66 Ma
Collections (139 total)
| Time interval | Ma | Country or state | Original ID and collection number |
|---|---|---|---|
| Danian | Morocco | Archaeomanta sp. (91362 214369 214372 214834) | |
| Selandian | Morocco | Archaeomanta priemi (133217) | |
| Selandian - Thanetian | Morocco | Archaeomanta priemi (214839) Archaeomanta priemi, Burnhamia daviesi (214848) | |
| Thanetian | France | Burnhamia sp. (276442 276446) | |
| Thanetian | Algeria | Burnhamia sp., Archaeomanta priemi (232262) | |
| Thanetian | Togo | Archaeomanta sp., Burnhamia sp. (61561) | |
| Early/Lower Eocene | USA (Mississippi) | Archaeomanta melenhorsti, Burnhamia daviesi, Burnhamia fetahi (62890) | |
| MP 10 | France (Picardie) | Burnhamia sp. (68440) | |
| Ypresian | Netherlands | Burnhamia daviesi (276507 276508) | |
| Ypresian | USA (Virginia) | Archaeomanta melenhorsti, Burnhamia daviesi (15595) | |
| Ypresian | Belgium | Burnhamia daviesi (276601 276602) | |
| Ypresian | United Kingdom | Rhinoptera daviesi (85229) | |
| Ypresian | USA (South Carolina) | Burnhamia daviesi (203258) | |
| Ypresian | Kyrgyzstan (Osh) | Burnhamia daviesi (28490) | |
| Ypresian | United Kingdom (England) | Burnhamia daviesi (204217) | |
| Ypresian | Morocco | Archaeomanta melenhorsti (214849) Archaeomanta melenhorsti, Burnhamia fetahi (116904 214847 214851) Archaeomanta sp. (71235) Burnhamia sp. 1 (214840) Burnhamia sp. 2 (158991) Burnhamia sp. 2, Archaeomanta melenhorsti (214841) Burnhamia sp. 3, Archaeomanta melenhorsti (214846 214850) | |
| Ypresian | Morocco (Oued Zem) | Archaeomanta priemi (35132) | |
| Ypresian - Lutetian | USA (Alabama) | Burnhamia daviesi (81179 209524) | |
| Ypresian - Lutetian | Netherlands | Burnhamia daviesi (276491 276492) | |
| Lutetian | France | Archeomanta melenhorsti (276553) Burnhamia daviesi (161754 277212 277214 277215 277216 277217 277219) | |
| Lutetian | Togo | Burnhamia sp., Mobula sp., Archaeomanta melenhorsti (32991) | |
| Lutetian | Ukraine (Luhansk) | Burnhamia sp. (120885) | |
| Lutetian | United Kingdom (England) | Archaeomanta melenhorsti, Burnhamia daviesi (41998) Archaeomanta sp., Burnhamia daviesi (41888) Burnhamia sp., Archaeomanta melenhorsti, Burnhamia daviesi (41989 41992) Burnhamia sp., Burnhamia daviesi (41994 41996) | |
| Lutetian | Belgium | Burnhamia daviesi (242331) Rhinoptera daviesi (242330) | |
| Lutetian | Senegal | Burnhamia sp. (133429) | |
| Lutetian | Ukraine | Burnhamia sp., Archaeomanta melenhorsti (211009) | |
| Lutetian | Jordan | Archaeomanta sp., Burnhamia sp. (65226) | |
| Middle Eocene | Ukraine (Crimea) | Burnhamia sp., Archaeomanta melenhorsti (140018) | |
| Middle Eocene | Ukraine | Burnhamia sp. (113113) | |
| Middle Eocene | Uzbekistan | Archaeomanta melenhorsti, Burnhamia daviesi (62573) Burnhamia sp. (45701 45702) | |
| Bartonian | USA (Alabama) | Burnhamia daviesi (81266 209520) Eoplinthicus yazooensis (176944) | |
| Bartonian | Tunisia (Sidi Bouzid Township) | Archaeomanta sp., Amamriabatis heni (173640) | |
| Late/Upper Eocene | USA (Georgia) | Rhinoptera daviesi (73434) | |
| Priabonian | Russian Federation | Burnhamia sp. (149625) Burnhamia sp., Archaeomanta melenhorsti (149626) | |
| Priabonian | Western Sahara | Archaeomanta sp., Burnhamia sp., Eoplinthicus underwoodi, Mobula sp. (96686) Eoplinthicus underwoodi, Mobula sp. (96688) | |
| Priabonian | Egypt | Archaeomanta sp., Burnhamia sp. (137579) Archaeomanta sp., Burnhamia sp., Eoplinthicus sp. (137550 137560 137561 137588) Burnhamia sp. (137563 137564 137569 137581 137582) Burnhamia sp., Eoplinthicus sp. (137547 137548 137554 137556 137558 137573 137583 137585 137587) Eoplinthicus sp. (137546 137575 137586) | |
| Rupelian | USA (South Carolina) | Mobula sp. (224900) Mobula sp., Plinthicus sp. (60444) | |
| Rupelian | Belgium | Plinthicus kruibekensis (276536) | |
| Chattian | USA (South Carolina) | Plinthicus stenodon (211540) Plinthicus stenodon, Mobula loupianensis, Paramobula fragilis (97550) | |
| Chattian | USA (Mississippi) | Plinthicus sp., Paramobula fragilis (133111) | |
| Chattian | Germany (Mecklenburg-Vorpommern) | Mobula sp. (80366) | |
| Chattian | USA (North Carolina) | Plinthicus stenodon (71651) | |
| Aquitanian | Colombia (La Guajira) | Mobula sp. (182218) | |
| Aquitanian | Panama (Panama) | Plinthicus sp. (159350) | |
| Early/Lower Miocene | USA (North Carolina) | Rhinoptera daviesi, Manta melanyae (71660) | |
| Early/Lower Miocene | India (Orissa) | Narcine sp. (42842) | |
| Early/Lower Miocene | Venezuela (Paraguana) | Mobula sp., Plinthicus stenodon (118106) | |
| Aquitanian - Langhian | USA (North Carolina) | Mobula sp., Plinthicus stenodon (48887) | |
| Miocene | USA (Texas) | Plinthicus stenodon (18614) | |
| Burdigalian | USA (New Jersey) | Plinthicus stenodon (18587) | |
| Burdigalian | Pakistan (Balochistan) | Mobula sp. (77783) | |
| Burdigalian | Venezuela (Falcón) | Mobula loupianensis, Mobula fragilis (228725) Mobula sp. (276389) Plinthicus stenodon (276390) | |
| Burdigalian - Serravallian | Portugal | Mobula loupianensis (277552 277556) | |
| Langhian | France | Mobula pectinata (277771) | |
| Langhian | USA (Virginia) | Plinthicus stenodon (79793) | |
| Langhian | Mexico (Baja California) | Mobula sp. (52183) | |
| Middle Miocene | Japan (Gifu) | Manta sp., Mobula sp. (161445) | |
| Badenian | Austria | Mobula sp. (276450) | |
| Badenian | Poland | Mobula loupianensis (162017) | |
| Serravallian | USA (Virginia) | Mobula sp. (187324) Plinthicus stenodon, Paramobula fragilis (126605) | |
| Serravallian | France | Mobula loupianensis (277907) | |
| Serravallian - Tortonian | Ecuador | Mobula sp. (204346) | |
| Tortonian | Panama | Mobula munkiana (118105) Mobula munkiana, Mobula hypostoma (96700) | |
| Tortonian | Belgium | Mobula sp. (217346) | |
| Tortonian | Panama (Colon) | Mobula hypostoma, Mobula munkiana (160567) | |
| Late/Upper Miocene | Costa Rica (Limon) | Manta sp., Mobula hypostoma, Mobula lorenzoizanoi (162678) | |
| Late/Upper Miocene | Panama (Panama) | Mobula spp. (191988 191989) Mobula thurstoni, Mobula tarapacana, Mobula spp. (191987 191998) | |
| Late/Upper Miocene - Early/Lower Pliocene | USA (Florida) | Mobula hypostoma, Mobula birostris (276265) | |
| Tortonian - Zanclean | Ecuador | Mobula sp. (204352) | |
| Messinian | Portugal (Alvalade) | Mobula sp. (65955) | |
| Zanclean | USA (North Carolina) | Manta sp., Mobula sp. (52582) |