Manta Rays

Hello friends,

The large Manta birostris can reach up to 25 feet in length and weight up to 4,000 lbs. The smaller Mobula diabolis typically measures about 2 feet across. Both manta rays share certain basic physical qualities. Like sharks, all manta rays have skeletons made of cartilage instead of bone. Wide feeding flaps extend outward on each side of the manta ray's large mouth. Manta rays move through the water by flapping their large wing-like pectoral fins in an elegant motion reminiscent of birds in flight. In contrast to other rays, the long, pointed tail of the manta ray does not contain a poisonous stinger. Manta rays are dark on the top and have pale undersides.

Manta rays like to glide along the surface of warm tropical waters. You can spot them swimming around coral reefs off the coasts of California, Hawaii, Australia, Brazil and Mozambique. They can occupy depths of up to 40 feet. The Manta birostris has a broader migration pattern and tends to spend more time farther out in open water than its smaller relative. The Mobula diabolis likes to remain closer to the coastlines. The only area where both manta rays are known to congregate is near the coral reefs off the coast of Mozambique.

Thanks and Regards
Daniel Rizzo