Sicklefin Devil Ray

Sightings

2026 season, every one sourced

Photos

From California this season

No photos yet. If you photographed this animal in California this season, post it to the Coastal Bulletin.

Home Range

Where it normally lives

Gulf of California south to Chile.

Range source: FishBase

This ray turns up in tropical seas around the world, though records come from scattered places rather than a continuous range. In the eastern Pacific it ranges from the Gulf of California to Chile. It usually swims in the top 65 feet, though it has been recorded much deeper.

Identification

The sicklefin devil ray is a large ray with a long head and short head fins. Its wing tips curve sharply backward, like a sickle. The top side is dark blue, olive green or brown and rough to the touch. The underside is white toward the front and gray toward the back, with a clear line where the colors meet. The tail is shorter than the body and has no spine. It grows to about 11 feet across and 770 pounds.

Natural History

Sicklefin devil rays live mostly in the open ocean and also come into coastal water. They swim alone or in groups and eat small fish and drifting crustaceans. Females give birth to a single pup. The species is listed as critically endangered. Tuna gillnet and harpoon fisheries catch it, and its gill plates sell for a high price.

In California

An observer photographed a sicklefin devil ray in Los Angeles County on September 26, 2026. The exact location is hidden on the record.

Taxonomy

Rarity

Rarity in the compendium is how often the animal has been reported on the California coast this season, not how rare it is where it normally lives. It moves as new sightings come in.