Manta Ray

Manta Birostris (cloaked)
Status: VULNERABLE

Sometimes refered to as the "Devil Ray," the Manta is one of the more larger species of Rays. The largest was measured at about 25 ft. across and weighed around 2900 lbs. They are found throughout the worlds oceans but mostly in warmer, tropial waters near coral reefs.

Mantas are usually dark on the dorsal side and lighter underneath. The pectoral fins are a distinctive triangular shape and they have two lobes in front of their large mouths, which contain 18 rows of teeth. Like other rays, they have a tail but do NOT have a barb and have never posed a threat to humans.

Mantas are filter feeders and strain plankton and fish eggs with their mouths. They are graceful swimmers that appear to "fly" under the water. They swim in large, sweeping cirles to catch prey.

Mantas are sometimes known to leap completely out of the water. When I was in Hawaii, I saw what I thought at the time were two dolphins coming up at the same time, when I kept watching though, I realized it was not dolphins, but a manta ray leaping out of the water. What I thought were two dorsal fins poping up where actually the tips of the pectoral fins of the manta. Our tour guide of the Pacific Whale Foundation explained to us that this can be a rare sight and that they will usually only jump out a maximum of two times in one "sitting." I felt myself to be extremely lucky to get to witness this first hand. My husband got to see the second leap. Below is a picture of a leaping manta. Sadly, I did not take this picture but it does represent what I saw.

The manta's only natural predators are sharks and orca. Although it is strictly protected in international waters, it is still threatened due to fishing and use in Chinese medicine. Remember that you can help save the manta ray from it's "vulnerable" status by picking up your trash from the beach, recycling whenever possible, and picking up loose fishing lines. Also make sure your seafood comes from a reputable and responsible source.

FUN FACT: A Tampa, FL baseball team are called "The Rays" and have the manta as their mascott!