The Incredible Manta Ray
Researchers don't know as much as they'd like, but here's a little of what we do know about these graceful ocean acrobats.
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Big Bodies and Big Brains
One of the largest fish in the ocean and in the same subclass as sharks, mantas have the largest brain to body ratio of all sharks and rays. No bones in those large bodies, either.
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Two Species
The reef manta and the giant manta are the two known species. The giant manta ray grow to 25 feet long, with a 20-30 ft wingspan, and weigh as much as 5000 lbs.
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Slow Breeders
They give birth every other year after a 13 month long gestation. Litters are only one or two pups, rolled up like burritos. After the live birth, the manta pups are on their own.
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Uncertain Lifespan
Mantas mature in 8-10 years and live on average 20-40 years, though some research suggests they can live to be 100. Aside from humans, the main predators of mantas are sharks and orcas.
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Not the Devil Fish
Mistakenly called devil fish due to the cephalic lobes that resemble horns, mantas are actually a different animal. The true devil fish – the mobula ray (seen here) - have firmer cephalic lobes.
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Funny Fins
Their cephalic fins are often rolled up, they only flatten them out during feeding to funnel food into their mouths as they filter feed. They can eat as much as 60 lbs of food a day.
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Tiny Teeth
Despite being filter feeders, they do actually have 300 rows of very small teeth that don’t seem to have any use. Some researchers think they might be used during mating.
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Keeping it Clean
They like to attend cleaning stations near reefs and they can commonly be seen breaching like whales do. Researchers aren’t sure why they leap from the water, but there are a lot of theories.
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Do Not Touch
A manta’s body is covered with a mucus membrane that helps protect them from infection and reduces their friction in the water. Touching a manta can damage this membrane.
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Always Active
Like sharks, mantas must continually move to pass water over their gills to breathe. But, unlike most sharks and other rays, the manta’s mouth is at the front of the head instead of underneath it.
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Acrobatic
Highly acrobatic and graceful, their pectoral fins move like wings, pushing water backward to provide locomotion. They’re capable of speeds up to 15 mph.
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In Danger
Individual mantas are identifiable by the unique spots on their belly. Researchers use these spots to track migrations and aid in the conservation of this vulnerable animal.
