Manta Ray

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MANTA RAY

The largest member of the ray family, the manta looks like a giant bat. It has been known to leap out of the water, occasionally destroying small fishing boats.

HABITAT
The manta ray is found both inshore and offshore in the warmer oceans. Although mantas can be found on the seabed, they spend much of their time feeding near the ocean's surface. Large species of ray, such as the manta, tend to be solitary, although they are often accompanied by a shoal of pilot fish. While feeding, small and medium-sized species of ray may form shoals.
BREEDING

Manta rays bear live young. The single fertilized egg develops inside the mother. The gestation period is unknown. It appears that mantas do not breed until their winglike pectoral fins reach a length of 13-15 feet. There is no specific breeding season: males and females mate year round. The newborns are fairly large, weighing 20-30 pounds, have fins that span 4 feet, and can generally protect themselves from predators.

FOOD & FEEDING
Manta rays feed mainly on shrimp and plankton, although they will occasionally eat small fish such as mullet.

The manta's filtration system is used for feeding
The manta's gill arches help it to feed by operating as a filtration system. During respiration, water is sucked in through the mouth and pumped out through the gill slits. The plankton that is sucked into the manta's mouth along with the water is caught by the gill arches and siphoned into its stomach. When mantas encounter a shoal of fish, they quickly move in to feed, swallowing as many fish as they can.

MANTA & MAN

The manta ray has long been regarded by fishermen as dangerous. Stories of mantas killing scuba divers and deliberately jumping onto small boats are numerous, but unsubstantiated. However, the manta's habit of circling small boats can be frightening to those aboard. And, although mantas do occasionally jump onto boats, the damage they cause is thought to be accidental. In the process of leaping out of the water, done possibly as an aid in giving birth or for sport, manta rays have wrecked small boats, earning them the name devilish.

KEY FACTS

Size
Length: 10-16 ft.
Span: 14-20 ft.
Weight: Estimated at up to 3,000 lb.

Breeding
Sexual maturity: when winglike pectoral fins reach a length of 13-15 feet.
Mating: year round.
Gestation: Not known.
Number of young: 1.

Lifestyle
Habit: Large specimens solitary; smaller fish may move in shoals of five or six in food-rich areas.
Diet: Mainly shrimp and plankton; occasionally small fish such as mullet.
Lifespan: Not known.

DID YOU KNOW?

Manta rays can grow to a huge size: it is common for fin spans to reach more than 20 feet. One 17-foot long manta caught in the Bahamas had fins that spanned 22 feet.
The word manta is Spanish for cloak or blanket. When swimming, the manta resembles a spread-out cape.
The blue whale, basking shark, and whale shark have feeding systems similar to the manta's.

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The largest member of the ray family, the manta looks like a giant bat. It has been known to leap out of the water, occasionally destroying small fishing boats.
HABITAT The manta ray is found both inshore and offshore in the warmer oceans. Although mantas can be found on the seabed, they spend much of their time feeding near the ocean's surface. Large species of ray, such as the manta, tend to be solitary, although they are often accompanied by a shoal of pilot fish. While feeding, small and medium-sized species of ray may form shoals. BREEDING
Manta rays bear live young. The single fertilized egg develops inside the mother. The gestation period is unknown. It appears that mantas do not breed until their winglike pectoral fins reach a length of 13-15 feet. There is no specific breeding season: males and females mate year round. The newborns are fairly large, weighing 20-30 pounds, have fins that span 4 feet, and can generally protect themselves from predators. FOOD & FEEDING Manta rays feed mainly on shrimp and plankton, although they will occasionally eat small fish such as mullet.
	The manta's gill arches help it to feed by operating as a filtration system. During respiration, water is sucked in through the mouth and pumped out through the gill slits. The plankton that is sucked into the manta's mouth along with the water is caught by the gill arches and siphoned into its stomach. When mantas encounter a shoal of fish, they quickly move in to feed, swallowing as many fish as they can.
MANTA & MAN The manta ray has long been regarded by fishermen as dangerous. Stories of mantas killing scuba divers and deliberately jumping onto small boats are numerous, but unsubstantiated. However, the manta's habit of circling small boats can be frightening to those aboard. And, although mantas do occasionally jump onto boats, the damage they cause is thought to be accidental. In the process of leaping out of the water, done possibly as an aid in giving birth or for sport, manta rays have wrecked small boats, earning them the name devilish.
KEY FACTS