![]() ![]() What Does The Giant Oceanic Manta Ray Eat? The giant oceanic manta ray is a filter feeder. The giant oceanic manta ray is capable of swimming at 15 mph (24 km/h) to escape a predator. Cleaner fish feed on dead skin and parasites on the ray’s body. Manta rays are often seen visiting ‘cleaner fish’ such as wrasses. Aggregations such as these are more likely to occur in areas rich in food or when the animals are meeting in order to mate. ![]() The species is typically solitary, although it is occasionally found in groups of up to 50 individuals. Giant oceanic manta rays can dive to depths of over 1,000m (3,281 ft.) and are also known to leap out of the water. One individual tracked by a satellite covered over 683 mi (1,100 km) during a migration from Mozambique to South Africa. The giant oceanic manta ray is migratory and capable of traveling great distances. The species may also be spotted around seamounts (undersea mountains) and oceanic island groups as well as in shallow reefs and seagrass beds. However, it is known to visit coastal areas on a seasonal basis, often returning to specific sites year after year. The giant oceanic manta ray is usually found far from land. The northernmost sightings are from southern California, Japan, Egypt and the Azores islands, while the southernmost observations have been recorded in Peru, Uruguay, South Africa and New Zealand. It is sparsely distributed and usually found in tropical and subtropical waters. The giant oceanic manta ray is a widespread species and can be found in tropical, sub-tropical and temperate waters worldwide. The shoulder patch markings are shaped like the letter ‘T’ on the giant oceanic manta ray, while on the closely related reef manta ray ( Manta alfredi) they resemble the letter ‘Y’. There are often spots and blotches on the underside of the body in a pattern unique to each individual. Some individuals have a dark brown or a steely blue upper body, while others are almost entirely black or white. The typical body coloration is black above and white / cream underneath, with large white ‘shoulder patch’ markings on the back. Its teeth are small and arranged into 18 rows on the lower jaw. The giant oceanic manta ray’s eyes are positioned behind the cephalic fins, and its gills are located on the underside of its body. In the photo above, one of the rays’ cephalic fins is curled up and the other is extended. These are extensions to the pectoral fins, and can either be rolled into a horn-like shape when the animal is swimming or spread out to assist with feeding. Protruding forwards from either side of the giant oceanic manta ray’s mouth are its cephalic fins. On its back is a small dorsal fin, and it has a long, thin tail. Like all rays, the giant oceanic manta ray has a wide, flat body and a pair of triangular, wing-like pectoral (side) fins. What Does The Giant Oceanic Manta Ray Look Like? Watch the video below to see amazing underwater footage of giant oceanic manta rays! ![]() (We’ll find out more about the giant oceanic manta ray’s diet further down the page.) Giant Oceanic Manta Ray Video Its diet consists of some of the smallest undersea organisms. Like many of the largest ocean animals, the giant oceanic manta ray is a filter feeder. (Want to know more about terms such as ‘class’ and how animals are classified? Check out this page: Animal Classification.) The giant oceanic manta ray is closely related to the reef manta ray ( Manta alfredi). Instead of bone, the skeletons of fishes in this group are made of a flexible material called cartilage. Both are members of the class Chondrichthyes, otherwise known as the cartilaginous fishes. ![]() There are anecdotal reports of specimens measuring a whopping 9.1m (30ft) across! Particularly large individuals can be over 7m (23ft) in width. The giant oceanic manta ray is the world’s largest species of ray. Meet The Giant Oceanic Manta Ray: Introduction Other interesting giant oceanic manta ray facts: The giant oceanic manta ray has the largest brain of any fish.Where Found: Tropical, sub-tropical and temperate waters around the world.Other Name(s): Giant manta ray, chevron manta ray, oceanic manta ray, Pacific manta ray, pelagic manta ray.This huge fish can reach weights of over 1 tonne! Let’s discover more about this amazing species … Looking like a bizarre alien spaceship as it swims through the water, the giant oceanic manta ray is the world’s largest ray. Giant oceanic manta ray facts, pictures, video and in-depth information. ![]()
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